This article is part of a series called “12 Days of Christmas: A daily study guide to bring the Savior into the season.” See the full list of days in the study guide and learn more about how it’s formatted here.
The angel Gabriel tells Mary in Luke 1:28–37 that she would bring forth a son whose name would be Jesus. Afterward, Mary asks an important question:
“How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (verse 34)
In response, the angel answers that the “Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee” (verse 35). But Gabriel also explains that another miracle has just happened—“Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.”
The angel then finishes his message by saying, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
What can we learn from these verses?
God does not leave us alone. It’s clear from Mary’s question of “How shall this be?” that she was confused as to how she could bear the Son of God. She knew that physically, it ought to have been impossible. But Mary was not the only person who was in a seemingly impossible situation. She soon learned that her cousin Elisabeth was experiencing what should have been physically impossible as well.
When Mary left with haste to visit Elisabeth (verses 40–56), she could speak about things with her freely. These two women may have related to one another in a way that no one else could. Their experiences remind us that when we feel we are alone in a situation, God points us to other people who can understand what we are going through. And when that doesn’t seem to be true, we can still know that we are never alone because the Savior always understands what we are experiencing.
- God understands what we cannot understand. There may be times when we, like Mary, don’t fully grasp how something could happen in our lives. With our earthly perspective, we can only see so far. But God has a greater understanding than we do, and we can trust in Him when we cannot see for ourselves what lies ahead.
Quote: “God did the impossible when Elisabeth conceived. Gabriel’s declaration is a reminder to disciples in every age that when we respond to God’s invitations, miracles can take place” (Gaye Strathearn, “Mary, the Mother of Jesus”).
Ponder: What seems impossible in my life, and how can I trust in God through it?
Read: “Mary, the Mother of Jesus,” by Gaye Strathearn, associate professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University
Watch: Calee Reed’s 5-Minute Fireside: “Like Mary”
