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"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.'"
(Luke 1:28-30)
This week we have been studying the encounter the angel Gabriel had with Mary, a young lady chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. The title of our devotions this week is "No Fear this Christmas". Fear is a powerful reality in the lives of so many all over the world. Those who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior are most fearful. Someone asked a pastor friend of mine one time, "How do lost people make it in this world?" My friend replied, "They don't." That is so true. They do not make it. They get by in life as best they can, moving from one pursuit of happiness to the next. But for the child of God, it is entirely different, or at least it should be. Of all people, we should be filled with faith instead of fear, joy instead of not mere fleeting happiness.
What made Mary so highly favored? I believe it was her humility and dependence on God, her purity, and her faithfulness. Would this not be a wonderful thing that God would send an angel to tell you and me the same words: we are highly favored, the Lord is with us, we are blessed? I have great news for you: it can happen. I believe it is God's desire to pronounce such a blessing over you and me. But He does not do our part for us; we are to be humble and pure, looking for Him.
Luke 1:30 states, "Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'" Here is the phrase I want you to grasp, the real thrust behind me writing these Christmas devotional messages: "Do not fear," literally, "Stop being afraid." If there is a message that needs to be heard today, it is this one. God loves us, visits us, and commands us to stop being afraid. Who needs to hear this today?
Some of you are battling this monster of fear and need prayer and encouragement. Learn from Mary and humble yourself before the Lord, believe His Word, and put your faith in God. Receive God's comfort and help today.
Some of you reading this devotion need to surrender your lives to Christ and become a child of God by putting your faith and trust in Jesus. Simply turn to Him and ask for His forgiveness, and believe in Him, that He died for you and arose from the dead. Trust Him to be your Savior and Lord.
Merry Christmas! The LORD is good. He is for you!
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