Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord Godwill give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38, ESV)
Greetings favored one!
What would you do if an angel came to you and said, “Greetings favored one! The Lord is with you.”
I have to be honest I would run screaming! I know the Lord is with me, but if I’m favored of the Lord, I know that that means there is going to be trouble ahead. Now don’t get me wrong, God will be there to guide me and comfort me, but I also know that following the Lord brings on troubles or situations we would not enter if it was our own choice.
But that is just it isn’t it. God calls us to be a little ark like and carry His word and light into the world, and that is what each of us is.We are a little ark like when we partake of communion, we are the carrier of Christ into the world. So remember you are like Mary, beloved and blessed by the Lord to be a carrier of God into your community. So go and be an ark to send forth His love and light!
aSacredRebel 