Greetings, favoured one, the Lord is with you too!

Luke 1:26-38 The following month God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin, Mary, engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, Gabriel appeared to her and said, **"Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!"!** Very soon now, **you will become pregnant and have a baby boy, and you are to name him ‘Jesus.**’ He shall be very great and shall be called the Son of God. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he shall reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom shall never end!” Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of God shall overshadow you; so the baby born to you will be utterly holy—the Son of God. Furthermore, six months ago your Aunt Elizabeth—‘the barren one,’ they called her—became pregnant in her old age! For every promise from God shall surely come true.” Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” And then the angel disappeared. Food for thought Webster’s Dictionary defines the words “favor” as the “preference for one person over another.” Mary was favoured by God over all other women. The question is, why was Mary favoured? She was favoured for a reason: “You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.” Mary was favoured so that she would conceive and bear the Son of God. You may have found in your life that there is a supernatural favor which seems to follow you wherever you go that cannot be explained. This favour or grace does not depend on circumstances surrounding you. You're blessed regardless of your knowledge. Did you notice that Mary carried the blessing without knowing? The angel told her, “Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you!” Mary had no idea of her blessing. Just many of us do; We're blessed without knowing. We are like Jacob, who said, "Surely, the Lord is in this Place" (28:16-17). He didn't know that he was standing in a blessed place. Let us receive our blessing like Mary did: “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants.” Walking in God's favor is not arrogance as long as you recognize it as GOD’S favor. There is nothing wrong with realizing that God has marked you with something special, something extraordinary. By receiving this favor, you are proclaiming the goodness of your heavenly Father! So, if you're good in something, and all of us are, be grateful to the Lord. Are you walking in the fullness of the favor God has for you? Take some time to evaluate the favor or favors you have already seen in your life. Thank Him for the doors He has opened and allowed you to walk through. Prayer: Thank you, God, for all that you have done for me in my journey thus far. You have truly shown your faithfulness and grace in my life when it seems like it was the last thing I deserved. Continue to lead me in the paths you have for me and help me lead with confidence and humility in the favor you have given me. Amen.