Greetings! You are highly favored. The Lord is with you.
Luke 1:28
It is a wonderful honor to be chosen to carry out a sacred task; but it can also be a troubling thing when you feel ill-equipped for the task. Mary was troubled when the angel of the Lord appeared to her announcing that God had chosen to pull off a major miracle through her. After all she was only a teenager with no life experience. She wasn’t even married! The Bible records, she was greatly troubled at the angel’s words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel reassures her with these words, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.”
You may not be accustomed to angels appearing before you, but you are accustomed to hearing God calling you to carry out his miracles to our world. And perhaps like Mary, you have been afraid. You have worried that you are not holy enough, experienced enough, mature enough and all the other one hundred excuses you’ve hidden behind in the past. You are not alone; others have gone to the “land of excuses” before you. Remember Moses (Exodus 4:10), and Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5) and Elijah (Elijah 19:1-14) among many others? They all felt ill-equipped for the task, but God “chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27).” He does it every time.
He chose Abraham and Sarah despite their advanced ages (Genesis 18:10); he chose Samuel despite his youthfulness (1 Samuel 3: 1-15); he chose Hannah though she was barren (1 Samuel 1-2:11); he chose Rahab even though she was a prostitute (Joshua 2: 1-21); he chose David even though he had committed adultery (Acts 13:22); and today he chooses you no matter what you have done or not done; no matter your age, talent or experience. He chooses you to pull off his great miracle in this age even though you are weak and flawed; inexperienced and ill-equipped. And his word has as much power for you today, as it did when he spoke to Mary. God’s word says, “Do not be afraid, you are highly favored. The Lord is with you.”
May you find the strength to choose him as you give the same response that Mary gave by faith, “May it be to me as you have said (Luke 1:38).”
Holy Spirit, nothing is impossible with you. Today, I choose you. Work in my life with your power; equip me for the task ahead and fill me with your presence so that I can be an effective ambassador for Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.