Come Let us Worship, Day 12, December 12

Luke records the exact conversation that took place between Gabriel and Mary.  Luke 1:1-4, 26-38  Luke, we know was a medical doctor.  He was also a diligent, dedicated historian.  The question this raises is this:  This is an intelligent, educated medical doctor, with the tenacity of an investigative journalist – who believes in miracles.  How can that be?

Every reasonable person believes in cause and effect.  Predictability is what makes our life sane.  Some scientists disprove the virgin birth because they see no relationship between cause and effect.  But the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian isn’t on the issue of cause and effect but on the location of the cause.  If Luke were here he would agree that the virgin birth would be incredulous if we simply believed that everything we can see must have a natural cause.  But that’s not what Christians believe.  That’s not what Dr. Luke believes.  Let me explain:

#1.   Christians do not believe that God is merely one cause alongside every other cause. The Christian believes that God is THE ultimate cause of everything; and all other causes are subsequent or secondary.  ““Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’” (Isaiah 46:8–10, ESV) . If God did not exist and if God did not preside over the universe, there would be NO CAUSES.

#2.   Christians believe that God is able to do anything.  That’s the claim of Gabriel.  There is nothing too hard for God.  The sacred name for God, revealed to the Jews, teaches us this.  His Name is Jehovah!   Jehovah means: the eternal, self-existent, self-sufficient God.  Everything that is, existed in God.  He is not created.  He is eternal, therefore He is perfect and all-powerful.  Therefore God is not only the Ultimate Cause behind all things.  He is also Ultimate – all powerful.  There is NOTHING impossible with God.

#3.   Thirdly, and lastly, as the ultimate authority in the universe, God has the right and the power to set aside the natural predictability of events whenever He wants to.  If He wants to make water into wine, He can.  If He wants walls to implode straight down, He can.  And if He wants to create life in a human mother apart from human procreation, He can.  He is God.

Here’s the main point: When a rational, investigative, tenacious scientist believes that there is a personal God who creates something out of nothing, it becomes nothing for him or her to believe that God can cause a baby to be born in the womb of a virgin.  God can do the impossible.

Father, there is nothing impossible for you.  There is so much more to the virgin birth and the incarnation, but one thing it reminds us as we face this day: there is nothing to hard for you.  Our hope and our trust is in you alone.