Experiencing the Gift of God's Favor & Blessing This Christmas

What would it be like to not only have been greeted in this incredible fashion - 
“GREETINGS,  FAVORED WOMAN!!  THE LORD IS WITH YOU!” Luke 1:28 and have the words come from an angel?

As I look out my window in Bend, Oregon and ponder the birth of Christ this Christmas season, I’m struck by the favor that Mary walked in.  She initially was caught off guard by these words and by this kind of grace.  As the story unfolds, she becomes more comfortable with the truth of these words.  She starts to see how she is indeed set apart for this particularly unique purpose of carrying the Savior of the world in her body.  

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Don't Fear Blessing is Coming Your Way
The angel continues his conversation, “Don’t be frightened, Mary…for God HAS DECIDED to BLESS YOU!”  Luke 1:30

WOW!!

No, WWWWWOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!

How on earth?

What positioned her to receive in such an incredible way?

Is this kind of favor and blessing available to me, today?  If so, is there something I need to do to position myself for it?

Experience the Gift of God's Favor & Blessing This Christmas
There are a couple of simple things we can find right in this portion of scripture that speak to this.  

1. (v. 31) “You will…”  and the angel describes the rather unusual way this favor and blessing will be shown in Mary’s life…by the birth of a Savior through her virgin body.  God knows how and what that blessing will look like and wants to share it with us if we are listening.  I can ask myself, “Do I have listening ears today?  Have I quieted myself so that the tangible life around me fades and I can tune my spiritual ears to hear Christ’s still, small voice?”  The favor has everything to do with God’s calling for me.
2. (v.35) “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…”   The favor of God has everything to do with learning to walk in the direction and power of the Holy Spirit.  There is no human effort here other than surrender.  A heart that wants only what God wants yields a life that can produce only what God can produce.  God, through the Holy Spirit specializes in the impossible.  It’s the effect of jumping in the river and going where that river takes you…and not fighting the current of God.  I can ask myself, “Am I yielded to the direction of the Holy Spirit in my life?”
3. (v. 37) “For nothing is impossible with God!”  There is an aspect of agreeing in our heart with truth.  Truth as it pertains to myself and as it pertains to God.  If I’m unwilling to let truth confront and free me, I will not walk in God’s favor.  God’s favor is accessed as I live in truth.   A good question to ask myself regarding this aspect is, “Do I agree with the truth that God is the God of the impossible?  Do I allow God to work beyond the realm of the possible for me?  Or do I have to earn everything I receive?” 

These are a few easy questions to ask ourselves and a few ideas to meditate on.  Simplified further, I can ask
Am I listening?
Am I yielded?
Do I welcome truth?​

I am sure like me, you want to live in favor and blessing like Mary!  Let’s allow these questions to penetrate our hearts and change our actions so that we can be those who walk in the great space of favor and grace!  That as people look at our lives, they say like Elizabeth said to Mary, “You are blessed by God above all other women and your child is blessed!”

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