How Will This Be?
- Dec 12, 2025
- 6 min read
Reading - Luke 1:34-38
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon 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… For nothing is impossible with God.
I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered. May it be to me as you have said."
Mary had already been troubled by the greeting she received from the angel (see v29).
Mary “troubled” isn’t a quick, “Hmmm, that’s strange?” It has the idea of thinking and mulling over something for an extended time.
Paula Gooder writes, "Gabriel’s greeting can either be seen as good or bad: to be in receipt of God’s favour, especially beloved and granted his presence, can only mean that Mary’s life is about to be turned upside down."
Mary’s story was very real, with very real doubts, very real questions and very real faith. But if you go back to Luke 1:38, we read perhaps one of the greatest statements of faith, “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”
We may find ourselves with the same troubled mind as Mary, and even ask the same question, “How will this be?” (1:34). “How can the impossible become possible?”
It's then we need to realise that God's writing the story!
Mary said 'YES' to the plan and story that God had for her with the words, “May it be to me as you have said.”
I reckon this is one of the greatest statements of faith in the entire Bible, because with these words, God’s Christmas started coming into the world.
Corrie T. Boom said, "Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him.”
What about a heart like Mary’s? A heart that trusts God, believes his word, and says YES to it being fulfilled in her life.
What if God wants to stir within us an overwhelming sense of His love, or perhaps new possibilities of life! Would we be willing to have God turn our lives upside-down, perhaps reshaping values and redirecting our time and talents?
What if, rather than trying to stay inside your comfort zone, you were open to saying “yes” to God whenever He calls you to follow Him. Why not today expect that encounter with God that inspires awe and wonder from within you?
J M Boice says, “Christianity is not something that requires ideal conditions to survive. It thrives best in the hardship. In our hardships God’s strength is made perfect in weakness, and godliness springs like a root from dry ground.”
Part of Rick Warren's ‘Angel Stadium Declaration’ reads, "To my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I say: However, whenever, wherever, and whatever you ask me to do, my answer in advance is yes!" Wow!
This Christmastime are you prepared to step out or step up your faith walk and say ‘YES’ to whatever God will ask of you?
Note in our text that it is after Mary heard "that nothing is impossible" that she says,“may it be to me as you have said.”
J.C. Ryle says, “Faith never rests so calmly and peacefully as when it lays its head on the pillow of God's omnipotence.”
God asks us to exchange the life we’ve planned for ourselves, for all that He has planned for us! Have you ever considered what your life and that of your family and community would be like if this was your response to God, ‘I’m the Lord’s?’ - and not just when the news is good or the request is something that we really want to do.
What about when the news is uncertain or just so hard, or comes with a price tag we don’t want to pay? What’s your response TODAY? What’s going to be your part in His Kingdom work this Advent? Will you do what Mary did and say YES?
Martin Luther said, "When Jesus was born at Bethlehem three miracles occurred: God became human; a virgin conceived; and Mary believed."
That Mary believed, said Luther, was the greatest of the Christmas miracles. Some things could be done by God alone, but God still needed someone to say yes!
Looking at it another way, what would your answer be to, “What is God asking you to release to Him, so that He can give you more of Himself?”
Often, God will ask us to step outside our neat and tidy routine lives and walk a faith life with Him. So, is there anything in your life that hasn’t been handed over to God, something you haven’t relinquished your hold of?
Mary had a superb excuse for not doing God’s will: I’m busy getting the wedding sorted! But Mary handed her life to God with the words, ‘I am the Lord’s!’
I’ve noticed many times that one of the enemies that stops us from being really available is our own busyness; that constant activity that leaves no space for God’s ‘something new’ in life. If only we could learn and accept that the unexpected events in our lives are an invitation to trust God.
How do you think Mary really felt? She was engaged to be married, she had plans in place!
What was bigger? Her plans and desires, or God’s?
Also, when you consider the culture of her day, Mary knew saying YES may cost her a future with Joseph, of knowing his love and his devotion. And saying YES could easily have cost Mary her life once news of her un-wed pregnancy got out!
What do you do when all your plans are dashed and your story or dream is gone?
Mary begins her participation in God’s amazing plan of transformation; through the love of God she commences a kingdom journey of faith and hope!
Consider what Christmas would be if we said YES to God today!
It’s interesting to note that Mary does not doubt the angel’s word, even though it must have sounded incredible. She believed what the angel said, her only question was how would it happen? The whole story hangs on the 'How?'
The answer, “The power of the Most High” (all the force of the Godhead delivered by the Holy Spirit) will “overshadow” you. How amazing is that!
Just stop for a moment!
Beth Moore compares Mary’s response to the call on our lives: “Do we have the guts to stand before God and say ‘I’m in’ with all the complications? Let’s quit confusing submission and humility with such passivity that we’re ignoring courage… This is a gutsy girl and nothing about her is in contradiction to her submission and humility.”
How can the impossible become possible? Well, our God is omniscient. He is omnipotent. He has unlimited knowledge and infinite power. Hallelujah!
The Most High God is able to change that which is thought unchangeable, through His power; all that Mary will go through, God will say “possible!”
J.B. Phillips says, “We have not only to be impressed by the 'size' and unlimited power of God, we have to be moved to genuine admiration, respect, and affection, if we are ever to worship Him.”
Jeremiah 32:17: “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
What am I to attempt that only God can accomplish? Or, look at it another way, what would you label “impossible” in your life? In the world? Peace in our world? Impossible! Christian values returning to our nation? Impossible! Restoring that relationship, healing past hurts in our lives? A relative or friend entering a relationship with Christ? Breaking an addiction? The list goes on and on. Just impossible!
“How can the impossible become possible?” Simply trust God! It may be hard and frightening, challenging, demanding and even painful, and yet how wonderful to allow God and His plan to be fulfilled in your life.
Mary surrendered everything to God.
It's coming to that point in trusting God and following Him, we need to realise the hardest thing to give is ‘in!’
Knowing Him as a living reality in our life we’ll discover the wonder of God’s presence with us, His Spirit filling and equipping us. Such becomes the evidence that we are pursuing God and seeking to ‘know Him better.’
What about doing what Max Lucado suggests? He says, “Our task is to stand tall in His love, secure in our place, sparkling in kindness, surrounded by His goodness, freely giving to all who come our way.”
So, this Christmas, in allowing God full access to your life, simply trust Him knowing “Nothing is impossible with God."
Please don't ever forget, He's writing the story!
While in work the other week, a girl had written on her t.shirt God is still writing your story so put down. It made makes me think of verses in Psalm 139 and the knowledge God has of us before we were created. I have been thinking about this story recently, how God chose Mary and that He would have known what she would say, but today, I thought what if she said no. This morning I am feeling more encouraged by Mary’s faith to say yes, and to let it be as the angel had said. Words faith, trust and complete surrender to God are not easy for me, but what I do know is His plans will alw…