Daily Digest: Capstone Capsule

“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 KJV

The Key Blessing of Believing is DIVINE PERFORMANCE: “And BLESSED is she that BELIEVED: for there shall be a PERFORMANCE of those things which were told her from the Lord” (Lk.1:45, KJV). The New King James version says, “Blessed is she who BELIEVED, for there will be a FULFILMENT of those things which were told her from the Lord.” This was the proclamation of Elizabeth, in response to the greeting of her cousin, Mary, as she recognized the Hand of the Lord in Mary’s miraculous conception. The verse directly links Faith in God and His Word, with the Fulfilment or Performance of His Promises, implying that trusting God and His promises is a blessed state.

The angel Gabriel had visited and revealed to Mary that having found favour with the Lord, she would conceive and bear the Son of the Highest: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest…” (vv.31-33). Mary’s response was: “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (v.34). Angel Gabriel explained that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and the Power of the Highest would overshadow her (v.35). She was also encouraged by the testimony that her cousin, Elizabeth, who was labelled ‘barren,’ had also “conceived a son in her old age” (v.36). In faith and absolute submission to the Will of God, Mary replied: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your Word” (v.38).

Mary took the initiative to visit Elizabeth and her aged husband, Zacharias (vv.39-40). On hearing Mary’s greeting, “the babe leaped in her womb,” she was “filled with the Holy Spirit,” and began to release inspired words that culminated in this declaration of Divine Performance. The thrust of the story is that believing God’s Promises leads to their divine Performance or Fulfilment. Mary’s acceptance of angel Gabriel’s message about Jesus, indicated trust, preparation, alignment with God’s Will, and Faith in His faithfulness to perform His Word.

Divine Performance refers to God actively bringing His Word to pass; His promises, even seemingly impossible ones, being fulfilled as demonstrated in Mary’s conception: “For with God nothing will be impossible” (v.37). Also, the aged couple – Zechariah and Elizabeth – remained faithful in service, even while being biologically fruitless, trusting in the faithfulness of God Whose timing can never be faulted. But God is never unfaithful. No matter how late it may seem to be, He is not finished with us! The Perfect Potter is in the process of performing His precise Plan, in and through us. Beloved, in this New Season, God is not only promising; He is performing! Only Believe!