Here's what I love: the glorious impossible lives in me. Here's what I hate: doubt.

Here’s what I love: the glorious impossible lives in me.

Abigail announced on Sunday that God was not Jesus’ father.

“He wasn’t?” Bill and I asked her.

“No, Joseph was.” She answered.

We corrected her innocent assumption by explaining that God was really Jesus’ Father because Jesus was in Mary’s womb BEFORE she married Joseph. She seemed dubious. We elaborated slightly on the miracle of Jesus’ conception. But, I suppose it’s time to have “the talk” with her about the sperm and the egg and what exactly it means to be a virgin

I’ve always marveled at the whole idea of Mary’s pregnancy. The glorious impossible. (Luke 2:37 Nothing will be impossible with God.) Mary said—“behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.”

Here’s what I hate: doubt.

The word “angel” means messenger. The angel Gabriel brought God’s word to Mary. The Bible is God’s messenger to us today. His word says a lot of things that sound impossible to our “virgin” ears. Matthew 21:22—“and everything, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Hmmm. I dare say that we doubt that one.

When Gabriel appeared to Zacharias to inform him that he and Elizabeth would have a son named John, Zacharias doubted the possibility of that. (Luke 1:18-20)

Doubting is a funny thing. It’s so easy to doubt and doubting isn’t as bad as complete unbelief. Doubt implies that a slight portion of our psyche believes. James describes a person who doubts as a wave who is blown and tossed by the wind. That analogy is very descriptive since I feel like hope is a sure feeling of trust in what God says, but doubt comes in and pulls at that hope. Hope pulls back. Doubt gives another tug. Hope pulls again…back and forth, back and forth. It’s exhausting really. So even though doubt is not complete unbelief, it is something that we need to kick out of our hearts. We need to ask the Lord to help hope to conquer doubt once and for all.

Personally, I think that Mary had a practical way to deal with her doubt—she did go ahead and voice that doubt—“um, does God realize that I am a virgin?? How can I have a baby?” She asks a question. God answers her through Gabriel’s description of what God had already done for Mary’s cousin Elizabeth. Mary latches onto what God has already done and is doing and her hope conquers her doubt. Then she submits to whatever God wants—(Luke 1:38 “behold the bondslave of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word.”) So, to recap, she handles her doubt by:

Asking a question (God can handle our questions).

Latching onto what God has already done. (Remembering His faithfulness).

Submitting to whatever God wants.

The great thing about submitting to whatever God wants is that once you do, you are allowing Him to carry you through the work. Suddenly, you are strengthened to do things that others marvel at. Like having a baby in a cave far from home surrounded by animals.

My friend Erin had her baby in her car. Long story—but her water broke on the drive over and her sweet daughter just couldn’t wait to come out. They made it to the hospital parking lot, where they snagged some out-of-town EMTs (who had never actually delivered a baby) to help catch Lily Kate. Many marvel at Erin’s ability to have her baby on her own without any epidural or anything…in a car! Some wonder how her husband Jim was able to have any presence of mind to drive quickly enough and then forcefully get the help he needed. I guess you could chalk it up to adrenaline or something. But I think that there are situations where we are given the grace to completely handle difficult challenges.

Mary and Joseph were faced with a challenge. They had to make it to Bethlehem and then safely deliver the son of God. It was more than difficult. It was also painful and frightening. How in the world did Joseph manage the whole amazing situation?? Weren’t they continually in awe of what was happening? How come they didn’t just give up? I think it is because, in a way, they already had. They had given up trying to do things in their own strength and knowledge. They were riding on God’s power now and they were being completely protected and upheld.

I think that can happen for us when we submit. We too are faced with many challenges and difficulties in life. But, in the midst of those challenges, we must remember that we are also carrying an important message. As Christians, the son of God lives inside us just as surely as he lived inside of Mary. God calls on us specifically to share His message of salvation. When we doubt His care or rely on our own strength, the message gets lost as fear fills our hearts. But, when we remember the ways God has protected and upheld us (and others), our hope is renewed. Then, if we submit to whatever God wants, we are miraculously upheld and strengthened and GIFTED for the tasks ahead. We are to use those gifts to ensure that this two thousand year-old message is never forgotten.