But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
He will be great,
be called ‘Son of the Highest.’
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob’s house forever—
no end, ever, to his kingdom.”Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”
The angel answered,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth
will be called Holy, Son of God.“And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.” (Luke 1)
One was too old.
And one was too young.
And yet…
Elizabeth had always longed for a child. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel the gentle baby breath on her cheek as she imagined what it would be nice to nuzzle in close for butterfly kisses and whispered, “I love you, a bushel and a peck…” Time had been a friend to ministry, and Elizabeth and her husband, Zechariah, had thrived as leaders. But a quiet house echoed the continual reminder of the one prayer that lingered.
Mary was a teen, learning from her mother and grandmother how to bake and tend to a garden and keep a home welcoming for anyone who might visit. She was moments beyond a bat mitzvah, and moments before whatever the future might bring her. Babies were fun to cuddle at the Temple, and she did love the sound of a toddler’s laughter. She looked into the eyes of her beloved, Joseph, and dreamt about the family they would one day have. But that was down the road, long after engagement parties and weddings and finding a place of their own where he could grow his carpentry business and she could invite friends to the table for long, conversation-filled evenings.
And yet, both women would be told by God, “You’re having a baby…and your baby will change the world.”
John would bear witness.
And Jesus would redeem.
One would be a bear.
And one would be the Lion of Judah.
One would prophesy.
And one would be the Prophet.
One would pray for salvation.
And one would be the Savior.
One would reveal the light.
And one would be the Light of the World.
One was too old
And one was too young.
And yet…
Both women became part of the story of us. And in their story, we are reminded:
Nothing is impossible. There is redemption. There is salvation. There is your story, written by God. And He writes miracles.
Always. Always.