I KNOW NOT A MAN

Lk 1:34-35 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, 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.

Mary, a young destitute virgin who lived in obscurity in the province of Galilee was visited by the angel of the Lord and was promise to be the mother of the Messiah. This was the greatest honor that could be bestowed on a Jewish girl. She was graced with such an honor not because she merited it or was so distinguished in piety but it was the grace of God. Though Mary believed the angel's message, she could not fathom how God was going to pull this off because she "knew no man". If she was going to conceive this promise of the Lord, she will need a man. Unfortunately, she knew no man as at yet. Mary lacked the human potential to produce the promise of God. If she were to be scrutinized, her deficiency, inadequacy and handicaps was painstakingly evident. She was inexperienced and her virginity was very apparent. However God chose her in spite of her handicaps to conceive this incredible feat. Her weakness made her liable to the promise of God.

There are many who have been given incredible promises of the Lord and yet they lack the means to manifest such promises. Such know not a man. They lack the human concepts, strategies or potential to conceive the divine promise. There are many of such who have been called into ministry and yet have no theological training. They lack the eloquence or oratory skills needed for good communication of the gospel. Some become incoherent when exposed to a congregation and yet the promise of the Lord to them is that they will preach the gospel. Others have been promised businesses and yet they lack the capital, or the commercial ingenuity to even initiate such feat. These people can not trust in man because they "know not a man". Their limitations qualify them for the grace of God. If they could conceive the promises of God they will not be used by God because then it will not be by His grace. God is still using the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. He chooses the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty so no man can glory in His presence (1Cor 1:27-28). These are used because they know not a man and therefore will have to depend on the grace of God.

Since Mary lacked the human potential as at yet to conceive the promise of God, she asked the angel how God was going to get this done. The angel made her aware that it will take the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Mary did not need a man to conceive the promise but the Holy Spirit. The angel indicated that when the Holy Spirit comes upon her, she will receive all the potential that she needed to manifest the promise of God. It is the Spirit of the Lord that imparts the grace we need to fulfill the will of God; hence He is called the Spirit of grace (Zech 12:10). We need Him in all our divine endeavors. Without Him we will be paralyzed in our attempt to fulfill the mandates of God. It does not take power or might to embark on our divine tasks but it is by the Holy Spirit (Zech 4:6b). Let us increase our fellowship with Him so He can grace us with the skills we need to birth the things of the Lord.

By Pastor Mantey