Greetings, The Lord is With You!

by Denise Mistich

Throughout the next few months I will focus on the life of the Virgin Mary in a study called "Seven Questions for a Pregnant Virgin." I believe God led me to this study, not because it is close to Christmas, but because I am a believer who cannot live with a stagnant relationship with God.


The spiritual Jesus within me develops and grows much in the same manner that the physical Jesus grew and developed within the Virgin Mary's body. This development is my drug of choice; my prescription for depression.


To be quite honest with you, I see the church, at least those who are true seekers, as a group of "Pregnant Virgins." God planted a seed within us. Now, we are seeking, growing, and waiting for the day when Jesus is revealed in our lives both physically and spiritually.


How appropriate it would be, this Christmas, if we all made the decision to become as Mary. In order to do that, we need to take a look her life.


Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!


Some of you are looking at your screen sideways with one eye partially squinted, as if to say "what in the world is she talking about?" Some of you had a fleeting thought of your mom or aunt, or some sweet little lady in the church. You know the one. She attended every Sunday morning, evening and back again on Wednesday.


She is the one who wears her little navy blue, sailor dress with white pumps and white beads (but never after Labor Day). She is the one who cooks for the church luncheon and cleans up afterward. She teaches your daughter's Sunday school class. "She" does it all, and "she" does it well. But, is "she" you?


Trust me, when I typed that greeting, I was well aware that I may not be writing to "she." I knew that I may be writing to Christian ladies who have faced far more controversial issues in their lives than "she" ever thought about. Issues that some have never even mentioned out loud; after all, what would "she" think if "she" knew?


Whoever you are, or whatever your walk has been in the past, your response to the greeting above was probably the same response that Mary had when the angel, Gabriel, said those words to her.


Luke 1:29 - And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. KJV


Given the fact that I am not "she," I found it very intriguing that Mary had this response to Gabriel's words. After all, Mary was perfect, wasn't she?


Mary had to have been the ultimate "she," right? Wrong. Mary was a virgin, and yes, God needed a virgin, but do you think they were as difficult to find in Mary's day as they are now? I don't think so.


If Mary had been perfect, she would not have been surprised by Gabriel's greeting. She would simply have said "Hello." Or "Yes, that's me, the highly favored one, how can I help you?"


Her social and economic background actually rendered her as an "undesirable" by Jewish standards, so what was it about the life of Virgin Mary that made Gabriel greet her in this manner and why did she respond with such fear and confusion?


Paul used the same word translated to "highly favored" in Gabriel's greeting, in his letter written to the faithful in Christ Jesus, in Eph 1:6.


Here, the word is translated to "hath made us accepted." So, Mary received the greeting because she was a believer. She was confused by the greeting
because she didn't think she deserved it. In other words, Mary was the same as you and I; without some of the mistakes and consequences. "She" was simply a believer made accepted by God.


Now, let's try again. So you have things in your past that you regret; things you can't let go of. Maybe you were not a virgin when you married. Maybe you've had an abortion; perhaps divorce.


Now, you have decided to walk with God. Let go of the past because, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!"


To become as Mary this Christmas, we must accept the greeting. Remember, the Virgin Mary didn't earn the title "highly favored" and neither did you or I, but it is ours to claim. Simply respond: "Be it unto me according to thy word."