Luke 1:30 has always been puzzling to me. The words are pretty straightforward. "But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid! You have found favor with God.'" But the context in which she hears these words is not peaceful, good or even joyful. Mary lives in an occupied nation ... she is given disturbing news ... she is afraid. Yet, the message of the angel Gabriel is clear ... "You have found favor with God."
When we are tired from preparing the meal at CR, weary from taking food to a grieving family, sweating after working to clear trees brought down by the storm, inundated by calls for assistance, turned-on by friends you have helped (all recent actual conditions of doing work in ministry) ... when you are in a nation where Christians and even the name "Christmas" are by-words for all the wrong things ... when you see hostility, disunity and you get the feeling that evil is winning over good ... the angel still says ... "You have found favor with God." We look past what we see to a supernatural realm of hope from God because His plan always works!
Are you into a supernatural God? Do you sift God's activity through your mindset of logic? Do you miss the awesome settling for the normal? Or, do you have a supernatural hope that God's actions and plans are really big?
Mary ponders and then accepts the hope the angel gives her. She sees the normal, the obvious and the situational context of her life ... and then she dreams. Those dreams make their way into a beautiful song expressing the greatness and supernatural hope of a God who has big plans! "My soul glorifies the Lord and my heart rejoices in the Lord my savior!" (Luke 1:46). Mary is through with the normal, mundane and the possible ... she is ready to jump into the impossible, the glorious, and the plans of a mighty God! Are you? Randy
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