Now the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto the city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came in unto her, and said:—

“Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee.”

But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. And the angel said unto her:

“Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And behold thou shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest.”

What a wonderful and glorious promise, was it not? And was not Mary indeed “highly favoured”? She thought so; then marvelled greatly at the gracious words. The thought that came first to her mind and lips was, “How shall this be?” How could anything so wonderful take place,—that she should bring forth the child who should be the Son of God and Saviour?

Did you know the Lord has sent a message, a promise, to you, which will make you, if you believe and receive it, just as “highly favoured” as was Mary? Did you know that He wants His Son Jesus Christ to “be formed in you”? This is what the Apostle Paul told his “little children” in one of his letters to them. He said also that this was the whole secret of the riches of the glorious Gospel, the Good Tidings,—”Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Not Christ born of Mary in the Bethlehem stable,—but Christ in you.

Then do you not think that you, like Mary, “have found favour with God”? And surely you will want to know as she did, “How shall this be?” So that you may not do anything to hinder this gracious purpose of God.

Then listen carefully to Gabriel’s answer to this question, for Christ can “be formed in you” only through the same means, and by the same power, that He was born of Mary. “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.”

How much was Mary herself to do to bring this to pass? Nothing at all; all was to be the work of the Holy Spirit of God. And there is nothing at all, dear children, that you can do to form Christ within you, so that His love and meekness, for His weakness, gentleness, and power, shall be seen in your life.

But “the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee,” dear little one. He is with you everywhere; you cannot go where He is not.

“Whither shall I go from Thy presence, and whither shall I flee from by Spirit?” Wherever you go the Spirit of God is there; and wherever He is, the power of the Highest is overshadowing you to form Christ in you if you will let Him.

Only believe His promise, as Mary did, and say like her: “Be it unto me according to Thy Word.” Then yield yourself to the sweet influence which His Spirit is shedding round you every moment, and His power will fill you with the new life of the Lord Jesus Christ, and make you a true “child of promise,” “born of the Spirit.”

Does this remind you of the child we spoke of last week,—Isaac, the child of promise? Perhaps you can see better now some of the beautiful lessons that God was teaching Abraham when He promised him a son, who should be born of the Spirit, and could come in no other way.

He was “preaching the Gospel beforehand unto Abraham,” showing him how, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ should be born, not only into the world, but formed in his own heart, to save him from his sins.

Like Mary, “Abraham believed God.” This was all that he needed, all that you need to do, in order to receive the fulfilment of all His promises.

Another time we will find some more of the Gospel lessons that are hidden in the life of Isaac; but next week we must tell you of the fulfilment of the promise that God sent to Mary by the angel Gabriel.

The Present Truth – December 14, 1899
E. J. Waggoner

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