Two angelic visits. Two different responses. One responds in disbelief the other with childlike wonder. How do yu respond to the promises of God?

Zachariah was a seasoned priest. He was devout, righteous and obeyed the law blamelessly. He had memorized the first five books of the Bible. So he would have read about Abraham and Sarah’s miracle of conceiving at old age. But when the same promise is made to him by an angel he questions the validity of the promise. His circumstances spoke louder than the promise.

“Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

Mary was a young maiden excited about her impending marriage to the handsome carpenter, Joseph. She was a descendant of the priestly line but as a young woman, she would not have studied the scripture like Zechariah. Unlike Zechariah, she had no reference point for believing for a virgin birth. No one had ever done that before (or since).

So when given this promise, she had every right to question the validity of the angel. But she didn’t. She didn’t doubt the promise she wanted to know the logistics.

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

Two incredible promises. Two different responses. How do we respond when God gives us a promise? Do we, like Zechariah, compare the promise to our past experiences? Do we look at impossibility of our current situation? Do we question the validity of the voice we are hearing, the scripture we are reading?

Or do we like Mary believe first and ask questions later. Do we take God at His Word despite the impossibility. Do we trust He can accomplish what He promised even though there is a very important missing component?

If you are stuck in Zechariah’s faith but want to have Mary’s faith, remember the words of the angel to Mary:

For no word from God will ever fail.””Luke‬ ‭1:18, 34, 37‬ ‭NIV

Some translations read, “Nothing is impossible for God!”

Friends, believe the word of God Today! Despite your circumstances. Despite what you see. Despite what you hear. Believe the Word of God!! Believe the promise. No word of God will ever fail!