“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” — Isaiah 7:14
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Julian Edelman wanted to play football in the NFL but it probably wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t agreed to change positions. In college, Edelman was an outstanding dual-threat quarterback for San Mateo College and Kent State University, but he only stood 5-foot-10.
In the NFL, most quarterbacks don’t do well if they are short of stature in the valley of giants. After New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick saw film of Edelman running in college and breaking tackles, he thought Edelman could be an outstanding wide receiver. Even though he was a late-round draft pick, Edelman helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls and was even Super Bowl MVP in 2019.
In a similar way, Mary and Joseph had to be flexible enough to rearrange their lives to be part of God’s plan to bring a baby into the world in an unusual way. When we read the Bible, and after coming through the Christmas season, we know Jesus was conceived through the Holy Spirit; Joseph was not the father of this child. It is beyond our understanding but God does what no other person can do. “When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Through this unique delivery, Mary brought the Messiah into the world to benefit us.
This series of events surprised Mary and Joseph, but they learned to trust God to work out His plan to bring salvation to people throughout the world. Everything happened according to the Lord’s prophecy from long ago. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). God announced the birth of Christ in the Old Testament about 700 years before Jesus was even born.
Even though Mary was afraid and didn’t understand, the angel reassured her and she surrendered to God’s will for her life. “Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus'” (Luke 1:29-31). In a similar way, the angel spoke to Joseph and then he accepted God’s plan and did everything he could to make Jesus’ childhood as it should be.
Then the angel made it clear that she would be carrying God inside her. He was a baby but born from above. “‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God'” (Luke 1:34-35).
Are you willing to adjust your life to walk in the calling God has for you? Even if it means great sacrifice or pivoting to a life very different than you envisioned?
God is able to do the impossible.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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