Gift of Favor

When the angel, Gabriel, came to see Mary, he said, “you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:28 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His name Jesus.” Luke 1:31

Favor is an act of kindness and grace, a token of love, a gift bestowed upon us that we didn’t ask for and probably don’t expect!

I’m sure Mary was stunned at the news from Gabriel. Mary seemed like the least likely person to be the mother of Jesus. She was only about 14 and not married yet. She was chosen from among all women who had ever lived or would live. He could have chosen any woman, at any time, but He chose Mary. She was chosen because she fit every detail God needed and God knew her heart. She found favor with God and He bestowed the gift of carrying and giving birth to Jesus, the Savior, on her. God gave her the most amazing gift she could ever ask for or even imagine. She never even sought counsel or had to pray about it. She said, “Behold, I am a servant of the Lord.” In her mind, it was settled - no need to question anything. She accepted His gift of favor.

Have you ever wondered if you have the gift of God‘s favor? Would you like to have God‘s favor? Do we look at others lives and think they have God’s favor and we wish we had it too? Or the favor they have is greater than what I have. Favor looks good a lot of times but favor isn’t always easy. For Mary, unmarried, to carry Jesus was not an easy thing for a young girl. Mary honored, obeyed and had faith anyway. I doubt the position she was in looked like favor to others.

If God has given you something you don’t expect, then you have experienced God‘s favor. We ALL have God’s favor because God sent His only Son to save us even though we didn’t expect it or deserve it. If you woke up this morning with breath in your lungs and your heart beating, you have received God’s favor. I think we have all experienced God’s favor in other ways at some point in our lives. We just didn’t recognize it as that.

Because of God’s favor, Mary gave birth to Jesus, the gift of salvation.

Just like a beautifully wrapped Christmas gift under your tree represents an unexpected, special gift from a loved one, God's favor can be a gift that brings joy unexpectedly to each of us like the ultimate gift of Jesus Christ at Christmas. It can also be a gift that is beyond our comprehension but to find God’s favor, we must reply as Mary did. “Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us.” Psalm 90:1a We must accept His gift of favor.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Cor. 9:15