Blessed

December 8, 2021
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Luke 1:26-38

One of the most difficult things for me to preach during this marvelous Christmas season is the heart of Mary. She was a devout, young, betrothed girl when the angel Gabriel came to her and said; “Greetings, you who are highly favored, the Lord is with you”.

Now, before you jump ahead and presume that I have forgotten the wonderful gift God gave humanity through this humble maiden, let me just remind you, that I too have had children and even though they have been and are a great blessing and joy to me, this journey has had it’s tough moments. The telling of the visit of the angel to Mary and the message he brought is difficult for me because I know what it is like to be told “You are pregnant” and even though, for me and my husband, we were overjoyed, I was still scared. I had questions like; what if the pregnancy doesn’t go well? What do I do? Or, what if I am not the mom this child needs me to be? What if I can’t handle the sleepless nights and the never-ending need for me to provide for this helpless little one? Some of you, can relate.

Here is the joy of God’s word for all of us today, men and women. God speaks to us right where we are. He didn’t tell Mary to do anything special to prepare, the angel simply said she was “highly favored”, in other words, blessed, just the way she was. Here is the kicker though, Mary would be the mother of the Savior of the world, and as such, she would see him struggle to reach those around him and often feel isolated and misunderstood. Mary would see her son ridiculed, beaten, and crucified while much of the community around her just stood idly by and watched. Is this what it means to be “blessed”?

We are in what is known by many denominations as the season of Advent, a time of waiting and watching for the coming of the Lord. This is a season for believers to take time to evaluate what we know to be true about what it means to be blessed and what price Christ paid for us to receive the greatest blessing, eternal life with God. We cannot deny that following Jesus Christ means to be willing to suffer, though I have never yet known what it means to suffer in the ways many have and are currently suffering, still, I must be willing. We cannot deny that being blessed by the good news that Christ paid it all and that we can trust him is not just a one-way transaction, it is a gift that we are to share with others.

So, here’s a thought; Why not join me in reading again the account of the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary and ask ourselves, men and women alike; Am I willing to say to the Lord, “Let it be to me and you have said” and pray daily to have strength to follow through. For God’s glory first and foremost, and for our ultimate good.

AMEN