The Favored Woman and Man
God needed a vessel — one He FAVORED above ALL women to be the Mother of Jesus. “The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!….” (Luke 1:28) God chose Mary to be the First Lady of our faith. She was found faithful. She was the first to believe in Jesus as her Savior and Lord while she still carried Him in her womb.
Yes, Mary was highly favored, but it still meant she was almost put away by her “betrothed” Joseph. She was highly favored but, still, she had to give birth to her son on a dirt, hay-strown floor of a barn. Yes, she was highly favored, but in the middle of the night had to leave all she knew and move to a strange town because God said so.
Doesn’t that make us NOT desire to be highly favored? Who wants to be ridiculed, suspected, and subjected to pain and to live a life of wondering “God, why did you choose me for this task?”
But, here’s the thing. Favor never looks like favor at first. Favor sometimes means going through frustration, failure, and fear. Favor might be in a place where no one sees us or even cares about us.
I wish we knew the back story of Mary’s life. Why was she chosen for that ominous task? God knows and I know that He wants to favor you and me.
Obviously, being highly favored means, we (women AND men), must meet some conditions. If we want to experience all of the best God has for us in this life, then we must be willing to do it His way. Maybe Mary was living out Joshua 1:8 in her life:
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joseph 1:8)
Perhaps at her young age, Mary was meditating and living out what the Book of the Law was saying. I know that the “prosperous” part was realized when the kings (aka magi) brought their treasures (worth much) to the Holy Family.
What does “highly favored” mean for us? This I know – it isn’t because of material things like food, clothing, money, and the grandest tangible things we can own. Yes, those things are important, but it is the blessings that aren’t always seen that are the most important…and the ones that matter most. How important is peace, joy, hope, and confidence in a God who will never leave us or forsake us?
When we grab hold of these spiritual blessings, we truly begin to experience God’s favor that shines regardless of the situations we are facing.
To be blessed and highly favored like Mary — the mother and “chosen one” for Jesus, doesn’t discount the fact that if we are in Christ – we are chosen and blessed, too.
God’s desire is to shower us with grace and favor. But, that means we walk in agreement with the conditions of His promises. And when we do – we better believe God will bless us with His abundant favor and blessings.
Thank you, Lord, for favoring us with YOU!