Anglican Devotional 25 March 2026 – With God, Nothing Shall Be Impossible

Biblical Context

The Gospel of Luke is one of the four accounts in the New Testament that tells us about Jesus. Luke, the author, isn’t one of the first twelve disciples. He’s often seen as a traveling friend of Paul and is believed to have been a doctor (Colossians 4:14). His writing shows he cared a lot about details and had a special heart for people who were often overlooked, like women, the poor, and those on the edges of society. Luke wrote this book for a man named Theophilus, wanting to give him a clear, well-ordered account of the events he’d heard about (Luke 1:1-4). This story of Angel Gabriel visiting Mary, which we’re looking at today, is found only in Luke’s Gospel. It paints a picture of Jesus’ birth as a truly miraculous event, planned by God and starting with a humble young woman in a small town. Luke helps us see how God’s big plans often begin in quiet, unexpected ways, working through ordinary people.

Key Word Study

When we read “With God, Nothing Shall Be Impossible,” it helps to look at the word “impossible.” In Luke 1:37, the Greek word that means “will ever fail” or “impossible” is “ἀδυνατήσει” (adynatēsei). This word comes from “ἀδύνατος” (adynatos), which means “powerless,” “without strength,” or “unable to be done.” It points to something that simply can’t happen or can’t be carried out because it lacks the necessary power or ability. When the angel Gabriel tells Mary, “For no word from God will ever fail,” he’s using this word to stress that absolutely nothing is too hard for God. It’s not just about what humans can’t do; it’s about God’s total, complete power to make anything happen, even when it looks completely blocked or out of reach from our human perspective. It means God can do what feels utterly beyond our grasp.

God Picks the Unexpected for His Big Plans

Our story kicks off in a place you might not expect to find the start of something so massive. We read, In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary (Luke 1:26-27). Nazareth wasn’t a big city; it was a small, probably looked-down-upon town. And Mary wasn’t a queen or a princess, but a young woman, not yet married. This shows us something important about God: He often starts His biggest works in the most humble and surprising places, choosing ordinary people to do extraordinary things. It shows us He doesn’t need grand settings or powerful people; He just needs a willing heart.

A Greeting That Caused Trouble

When the angel Gabriel arrives, his greeting is powerful and full of meaning. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). Can you imagine hearing those words from an angel? Mary’s reaction is completely understandable and very human. The Bible tells us, Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be (Luke 1:29). The source material describes her shock, mentioning how no woman had ever been pregnant without intercourse before. To be called “highly favored” by an angel, suddenly, out of nowhere, would shake anyone up and make them wonder what it all meant.

The Promise of a King

Gabriel quickly puts Mary’s fears to rest and lays out God’s amazing plan. He tells her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:30-33). This isn’t just a promise of a son; it’s the promise of the Son, the Messiah, a King whose rule will never, ever stop. This child won’t just be any person; He’ll be God’s own Son, meant to bring about a kingdom that lasts forever. It’s a huge prophecy, given to a young, humble woman.

Mary’s Honest, Human Question

Faced with such an unbelievable promise, Mary asks a very real and honest question, showing her human limits. “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). The devotional highlights this perfectly: “Never in the history of man had a woman been pregnant without sexual intercourse, until Angel GabrieI made a holy announcement to Mary. Mary expressed her shock in these words: ‘How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?'” This question isn’t a lack of faith, but a natural human reaction to something that goes against all known natural laws. It’s the moment where human understanding hits a wall, and God’s power is about to break through.

God’s Power Breaks All Barriers

The angel’s response removes all doubt about how this impossible thing will happen. He tells her, “The Holy Spirit will come on 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” (Luke 1:35). This isn’t about Mary’s human ability or what’s physically possible. It’s entirely about God’s Spirit and His incredible power. The source devotional makes this crystal clear: “As difficult as it sounded, the Angel was very clear with the message from God. But as a direct answer to Mary, he said, ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.'” When God is at work, human limitations don’t apply. His power can do anything.

A Miraculous Sign for Mary’s Belief

To further help Mary believe, Gabriel gives her a tangible sign, another example of God doing the impossible. He says, Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month (Luke 1:36). Elizabeth’s pregnancy was also a miracle, though different from Mary’s. It was a sign that God can open closed wombs and bring life where there was none. “As a way to address her doubts, the Angel also informed her that her cousin Elizabeth had conceived in her old age,” the devotional reminds us. This example shows that God’s power isn’t new; He’s always been able to do what seems humanly impossible, giving Mary a solid reason to trust.

The Unfailing Word of God

Then comes the central truth, the foundation of our faith, and the core of today’s message: For no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:37). The source devotional directly applies this to us: “The message from God to us today is that the power of the Most High is able to do all things.” This isn’t just a hopeful saying; it’s a statement of absolute fact. When God speaks, it’s done. His promises don’t expire, and His power never runs out. No matter how big your problem looks, God’s word stands above it all.

Mary’s Surrender: Our Model of Faith

Mary’s response to this mind-blowing news is a model for us all. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her (Luke 1:38). She didn’t fully grasp how it would all happen, but she believed that God could and would do it. She surrendered her will to His. The devotional calls us to this same kind of faith: “All we need is to believe God like Mary, and say like her, ‘…be it unto me according to thy word….'” You might find yourself in situations that look completely impossible, where doubt and fear try to take over. Sometimes, when faced with such things, people might go searching for answers in places that aren’t of God. But Mary’s story tells us plainly that God’s power can make anything happen. “Although Mary found favour before God, yet it took the power of God to bring to pass what was spoken.” Your job isn’t to figure out the “how.” Your job is to believe what God has said and let His word come true in your life, trusting that with Him, nothing is truly impossible.