This Summer I attended a luncheon for Ladies of Grace Ministries and the term, “she who is able,” was mentioned to be a sort of subtitle for this ministry. I mulled on that the rest of the day. When I googled, “she who is able,” the verse Luke 1:45 showed up in the search results. Luke 1:45 says, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”
This verse is at the end of the story when Mary visited Elizabeth. This statement came from Elizabeth. Remember, she was old and supposedly barren…but God had other plans for Elizabeth and her child, just as He did for Mary and the child inside her womb. Elizabeth would have been one of the ladies in charge of the church tea, she was married to a priest, she was mature in her spiritual walk, and now people were starting to see how great her faith really was. She must have been such an encouragement to a naive Jewish girl named Mary. She must have encouraged her because directly following verse 45 is the famed, “Mary’s Song,” where she gives God all the glory and honor for what she is able to do for Him.
Mary and Elizabeth were both able. They were kindred spirits. God made them able to carry two boys that would later fulfill His prophecies. Both of their sons would both die a martyr’s death. The difference in these women is that Elizabeth would not witness her son’s death as Mary did.
Put yourself in Mary’s shoes. She was an eye-witness to her Son’s crucifixion. She was a good Jewish girl, she knew what was said about the Messiah and she was the one chosen to carry Him and bring Him into the world. She would also be witness to the day when He was beaten and taken from this earth. She who is able … God made Mary able.
He can make us all able.
He can make us able to get out of bed and live our life after watching a child die.
He can make us able to wake up every three hours for a child that will not sleep.
He can make us able to pray for a child that has gone astray.
He can make us able to pray everyday for a child of our own.
He can make us able to love unconditionally all people who are made in His image.
He can make us able to forgive people who have wronged us.
He can make us able to overcome addictions.
He can make us able to pray and help a child that has an unknown diagnosis but your mother’s intuition knows something is not right.
He can make us able to care for a husband that is sick.
He can make us able to walk another day with a disease that has no cure.
He can make us able to care for parents that once cared for us.
He can make us able but we have to be willing to let Him. Mary allowed God to work through her just like Elizabeth allowed God to work through her. Both of these women gave glory to God for making them able.
Are you giving God glory for making you able? Are you letting God make you able?
Image is art by Corby Eisbacher.