Nothing Is Impossible With God

Luke 1:36-37: "Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who is said to be barren is in her 6th month. For nothing is impossible with God."

As one reads the first chapter of the gospel of Luke, one finds two older characters mentioned who were upright and blameless (vs 6) and were obedient to all of God's commandments. Still, they were saddened by their inability to have children. In that day and culture, barrenness was stigmatized, for children were seen as confirmation of God's blessing upon a husband and wife. Also in an agrarian society, children were important in helping the family attend to domestic responsibilities, particularly when the husband and wife entered their senior years.

It is telling that Zechariah and Elizabeth were "upright and blameless" despite their circumstances. So many would have given up on God; however, this couple was able to rise above the pain of their circumstances by having their focus upon God.

What is beautiful in this story is God's doing the seemingly impossible. Here we have two very old people who biologically should not have been able to have children. God waited to bestow this blessing upon Zechariah and Elizabeth so that in the miraculously unexpected, He could demonstrate His power, glory, and holiness. The result of God's divine interaction was praise from Zechariah (vs. 64) and an awareness in the community that God alone was working (vs 65-66). Isn't this just like our God? Praise be to Him!