December 22, 2021 - Luke 1:28
Updated: Jan 8, 2022
“And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”” Luke 1:28 NKJV
Lord, what a statement the angel said to Mary. When we look at the big picture, what an honor it was for Mary to be picked as the most favored woman. You looked out over all the women on the planet and chose her as the best one to raise your only son. You trusted her with your most precious gift.
Lord, but when we take the time to look at exactly how that played out, this most honored calling probably didn’t turn out as she expected. It didn’t move her into a palace with servants hovering over her, providing her and Jesus everything they needed to live the pampered life of a king. Being the most favored didn’t suddenly make life easy, the opposite actually. She became pregnant out of wedlock, something extremely looked down upon. This would have put a negative label over her life that would have stuck with her the rest of her life. She ended up having a baby several days journey from home in a stinky barn without her mother or grandmother there to assist. She had the pressure of raising the son of God. She was raising a son that caused a lot of controversy in Israel and was hated by so many. She would watch him die a shameful, painful, criminal’s death. But in all that she went through she was in the middle of your will.
Lord, help us remember when you call us to something, we likely are not going to have an easy road to accomplish it. Even when your favor and calling is over our life, things may look and feel just the opposite. Grow us to the point in our walk with you that we will keep pressing into you and forward in the calling even during hardship. Teach us to honor you when everything in us wants to complain or quit. Strengthen us to face it all with grace and accomplish everything you have called us to. Give us perseverance and patience. When needed, remind us of all those who have gone before us like Mary, King David, and so many others who faced hardship in their calling, yet pressed through and succeeded.
In Jesus name, amen.
