“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’“
Luke 1:26-28
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NOVEMBER 25, 2024
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel who appeared to Zechariah was sent to earth again, this time to Nazareth in Galilee. Here, Gabriel spoke to a young woman named Mary, who was pledged to be married to Joseph, a descendant of David. Actually, both Joseph and Mary were descendants of King David: Joseph through Solomon and Mary through Nathan, two sons of Bathsheba (1 Chronicles 3:5, Matthew 1:6, Luke 3:31).
Betrothal was a yearlong period during which the bride-to-be remained at home preparing, while the groom-to-be busily readied the dwelling they would occupy together. Betrothal was a formal, legally-binding commitment that could only be terminated by divorce.
The visit of the angel changed the course of Mary’s life and that of the world forever. God was inaugurating a new covenant through the incarnation. He initiated this over two thousand years ago through a teen-aged girl engaged to a carpenter from an obscure village in remote Galilee.
The only explanation given for why these events impacted Mary’s life was that she was highly favored by the Lord. She certainly worshipped the living God, but now God was calling her to something incredible.
Gabriel assured Mary that the Lord was with her. What was about to be revealed to Mary could sever ties with her betrothed, her family, and even society at large. But she was not alone, and remembering these words must have quieted her misgivings as events began to unfold. Mary’s life situation was about to be complicated by an unexplained pregnancy. People would not, could not, understand what was happening. But Mary had the promise that the Lord was with her; therefore she had sure confidence—which is to say, hope in Him.
The Lord is also with us. He understands when no one else seems to grasp our confusion or emotional pain. We have hope because He will never leave us or forsake us. When the future appears clouded with “What ifs,” we can go forward with the assurance that “Even if,” the Lord is still with us.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- Mary was about to find herself in an impossible situation orchestrated by God. When has God placed you in an untenable situation?
- How did confidence that the Lord was with you provide hope?
- What did you encounter as hope fulfilled?
Church Reading Plan: Jonah 4; Luke 9