JULY 15, 2025
Luke 1:30-35
... the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “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.
Wonder isn’t just about being amazed, like we saw yesterday in Psalm 8 and Psalm 19, it also is the courage to ask honest questions of our Creator God. And here’s the thing: the truth is wonder doesn’t always sound like a worship song. Sometimes wonder sounds like a question:
“How can this be?”
“Why me?”
“Where is God in all this?”
I think it is important that we remember that these questions aren’t signs of weak faith, these questions do not dishonor or disrespect God, I believe they are actually where real faith often begins. God doesn’t shut us down when we ask honest questions, doesn't plug his ears and shout to block out the questions, like the religious leaders did in the Gospels. Rather, our God leans in. He meets us and our questions with grace, with His presence, and with purpose.
Over the next few days let’s take a look at three voices of wonder in the Bible and how God responds. First up—Mary.
“How can this be...?” Luke 1:34
When the angel tells Mary she’s going to give birth to the Son of God, she doesn’t, as we say today, "freak out" nor does she push back. She just asks a simple question: “How?” She’s not saying “No,” she’s saying, “Help me understand.” That is a big difference.
Mary’s question shows a kind of faith that’s curious and open. She doesn’t need all the answers, but she wants to understand what God is doing. And take notice, instead of correcting her, the angel gives her more insight, he explains what’s going to happen and reminds her that nothing is impossible with God.
Now we are being told something rather important here, which is that asking questions is not the opposite of faith. Sometimes it’s the first sign of real faith forming. Mary’s wondering question isn’t a sign she doesn’t believe, but it is a sign that she’s trying to lean in and trust, even when it’s very overwhelming.
Frederick Buechner once wrote,
“There is a kind of doubt that is a sign not of unbelief, but of a faith that is struggling to be born.”
Mary’s question is like that, it’s faith seeking understanding, faith growing and coming to life. She brings her honest questions to God and receives more than answers, she gets reassurance and a deep sense of her place in God’s plan.
The Bible is full of these moments. Abraham once asked, “Won’t the Judge of all the earth do what’s right?” (Genesis 18:25). David cried out, “How long, Lord?” (Psalm 13). You can probably think of others. None of these questions are signs of falling away or defeat, they are moments of real, transparent, relationship with God.
Theologian Eugene Peterson said:
“The Bible isn’t a book that tells us what to think. It invites us into the conversation about how to think and live in God’s presence.”
That’s what Mary does isn't it? She joins the conversation. She accepts the mystery that is beyond her understanding, but she still asks to understand her part in it. And the Good News is God meets her there.
Mary's curiosity deepened her faith. Her question—“How can this be?," led her to worship the God of Creation. Do you recall her words to the Angel in Luke 1:38?
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
So what is our take away today?
Well I would like to suggest our take away is that Mary’s story tells us that it’s okay to bring our questions to God. I mean, when life feels confusing, when God’s plan seems too big or too wild a stretch for us to grasp, we don’t need to pretend we’ve got it all figured out. We can ask. We can wonder.
God isn’t afraid of our curiosity. In fact, God welcomes it. we worship the God of revelation, not confusion. I am not saying the our Creator will always give us a full roadmap of what's ahead, but here is what I know from my own journey, God will meet us with what we need to keep walking "by faith not by sight."
Let's Pray
God, You are the One who speaks into mystery, Who meets our questions not with rebuke, but with revelation. Like Mary, we come before You today with hearts open— Not with all the answers, But with a willingness to ask, “How can this be?”
Thank You for reminding us that faith is not the absence of questions, but the courage to bring them to You.
When Your ways seem beyond our understanding, Help us to trust Your goodness.
When the path is unclear, Help us to follow, even with trembling steps.
When we cannot see the whole picture, Give us the grace to say, as Mary did, “May Your word to me be fulfilled.” Amen.
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