Blessed Is She That Believed – Luke 1
“And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” — Luke 1:45
Gabriel, the angel of God, who stands in the presence of God (v.19) appeared to two people in Luke 1. Both times, he announced the birth of a child. Gabriel announced to Zachariah that his prayers were answered (v.13) and he and his wife, though elderly, would have a son. Gabriel announced to Mary that she, though a virgin, would conceive and give birth to the Messiah.
We see two different responses to these pronouncements. Zachariah, though a priest and a man who prayed, was shocked by the announcement and did not believe the word (v.20). Mary believed and trusted God (v.38,45) even though what she was told was much more of a miracle than what Zechariah was told.
Later, when Mary met her cousin Elisabeth, Elisabeth said of Mary, “blessed is she that believed.” She was amazed at the faith of Mary in all of this and knew she would be blessed for it. She went on to say that “there [would be] a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
God always rewards and blessed faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please the Lord. How do we respond to the Word of God? With doubt or with faith? If we like Mary will believe, then we will be blessed and see the performance of God’s promises. If we do not, then we will miss out on much of God’s blessings.