Luke 1:29-33
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary had a lot to be afraid of with this message from an angel of God. But the angel tells her why she doesn’t need to be afraid. Gabriel uses the word ‘favor’ a second time to describe Mary’s standing with God. What does it mean to have favor with God? Favor simply means to be a recipient of God’s grace. And because of this favor, Mary didn’t have to be afraid. She didn’t experience instant success or fame. As a matter of fact, she faced rejection from her friends and family and, eventually, her son faced an early death on the cross. But God’s favor on Mary’s future gave her freedom.
As a child of God, we also have this same favor with God. His grace in our lives means more than just salvation at the end. It’s a grace for the here and now. Today, ask God to show you how His favor on your past means forgiveness and how His favor on your future brings you freedom.