At the beginning of the Christmas story, Mary was just a teenage girl living with her family in Nazareth preparing to marry a man named Joseph. She probably had no ambitions for her life beyond caring for her home, her future husband and children. She was a poor, simple woman. By worldly standards, she was quite insignificant.
But then an angel showed up! And what he said rocked her world: "Do not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God" (Luke 1:30).
With those few words the angel announced to her that with God there is no such thing as an insignificant person. There is no person on this planet whom he doesn't see, whom he doesn't know, whom he doesn't love.
You may be poor. You may be desperate. You may lack education and resources. You may be tucked away in an obscure, out of the way place -- feeling like a nowhere man living in a nowhere land. But with God, you're not hidden, you're not obscure, you're not insignificant.
He has a place for you. He has a plan for you. And he is willing to bestow his favor upon you. If you will put yourself in his care, through trust and obedience and submission to him, he will put you in your place, so to speak. He will pour out his favor in your life.
What does his favor mean? It means blessings. The blessings of a happy home, the blessings of joy and peace and abundance. The blessing of knowing him personally.
God's favor also means that he will use your life to do great things. In Mary's case, she did the greatest thing of all -- she gave birth to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
In your case, it means that God will use to touch the lives of people around you. That you will be a blessing to others, and an inspiration to others. He will put you in situations in which you will care for others, and teach others, and influence others in a way that empowers them to fulfill God's calling on their lives.
The favor of God means that he will bless you and he will use you.
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Wow, this is what I needed to read and meditate on today. 08 has not been a really good year for Earl & I but we have grown closer to the Lord through it all. I realize that He has not left us nor forsaken us in anyway, even though it felt like it at times. I am excited and praising Him already for what He is going to do for us in the up and coming new year. Thanks for all you do and have done Pastor Del.
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