Conversations With Angels (part 1)

Luke 1:26-33

I think we are all born with this innate mindset that to be favored means that we should have an easier life. We believe that since we are the favorite employee that we should have fewer responsibilities and more pay. In reality, it often works the opposite. We may get more pay, but the responsibilities and expectations are far greater than the expectations for other employees. We can find ourselves envious of those who are not as well favored. Their life seems to be easier, and indeed many times it is.

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Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then 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 bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give 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.”

Luke 1:26–33

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Mary was a young girl. We do not know her age, but she was probably a teenager. She is engaged to a man named Joseph. In Jewish custom, to be engaged meant that you were legally bound to one another, but you could not live together. The dowery had been paid, and it was understood that the man and woman would be married. The man had to get things prepared for his bride, and when his father told him the job was completed, he could go get his bride. This was where Mary was. She was waiting for Joseph to come get her for the marriage celebration. During that waiting period, Mary had a visitor. This visitor was the angel, Gabriel. He is one of two angels that are named in the scriptures (not counting Lucifer). He appears to Mary and tells her "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women". What follows will seem anything but blessed and favored.

Mary was told that she was going to have a baby. This was problematic because she was not married. As a matter of fact, she would become pregnant before Joseph married her. That was the point. It was to be clear that the baby was not Joseph's. Mary had saved herself for marriage because she was obedient to God's law. Yes, it was culturally taboo for a young woman to have relations with a man before marriage, but Mary cared more about honoring God than violating a cultural norm. That is why she found favor with God. Now, what He would require of her would make her appear to have been disobedient to God and the law. This "favor" would also cause Joseph to question her. She knew this. Who in their right mind would believe that she was a pregnant virgin? That is not how it works under ordinary circumstances. Never had a virgin conceived before in all the history of humanity. What if Joseph would not marry her now?

Just as those favored employees mentioned in the introduction, Mary being favored by God meant that He was going to require more from her than He did from others. There would be more hardship. There would be more responsibility. There would also be more harassment from those who were less favored. She would be misunderstood and mistreated. In her lifetime, the favor would not be evident by the life she was called to live. However, she would receive her reward in heaven. As Christians, we have God's favor was well. That does not mean that life here is easier or less stressful. It means we are at work and have more responsibilities. The greater God's calling is on our lives, the more He will require of us. Jesus said, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more" (Luke 12:48-49). Mary was given much in being chosen to be the mother of God's Son. However, this required A LOT from her as well.

Father, help us to have realistic expectations. We want Your favor. Help us to also understand that we have to accept the responsibility that comes with it. Change our hearts to obey Your will.