Favored
By Sarah Walker
By Sarah Walker
And [Gabriel] came to [Mary] and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ... And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”Luke 1:28,30 (ESV)
The angel told Mary she had found favor with God. But what did that mean in the day-to-day? What were the consequences of Mary saying “yes” to God? Did Mary’s life get drastically better from the world’s perspective after her encounter with the angel? Arguably not, yet she was favored.
Mary was favored even though she became pregnant before she was married. She was favored, even if those around her didn’t recognize it. She was favored, even though she had to tell her betrothed that she was pregnant, and not by him. She was favored, even though she had to travel on a donkey while nine months pregnant and give birth in less-than-ideal surroundings. She was favored, even though she had to be on the run to hide her baby from being murdered by the king. She was favored, even though she had to watch her son die a criminal’s death.
She was favored, even though her circumstances after meeting with the angel might not have looked favorable through human eyes.
Mary was favored. Yet with God’s favor came hardship, adversity, and the potential for shame, misunderstanding and derision from those around her. To the world, she may not have looked like a person whom God had chosen to be “O favored one.” But He did, and she was.
Mary was indeed favored. She said “yes” to God’s plan, and God’s favor had a chance to bloom. She was favored because her betrothed also followed God and married her. She was favored because they had a healthy baby who was God in the flesh. She was favored because her firstborn son would personally change the face of the world forever, even 2,000 years later. She was favored because through the God-man she gave birth to, even Gentiles would be able to be reconciled to God. She was favored because she got to experience these events unfolding firsthand.
But Mary didn’t see the end from the beginning. She wasn’t God. He whom she bore, He was God in the flesh. But she was merely human. She didn’t have intimate knowledge of future events. She had to trust God in the everyday moments, just as you and I need to. Your circumstances might not look favorable...but in reality, are you, like Mary, actually favored?
GOING DEEPER:
1. How have you seen God’s favor play out in your life? If you need to, ask God to give you His perspective.
2. Encourage someone today with God’s big picture perspective.
FURTHER READING:Luke 1:46-55, Romans 8:28, 31-39
Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott co-lead a summer/winter neighborhood small group.
