Global Worship Initiatives
GWI on Facebook:
  • Home
    • About Us
  • What We Do
    • Worship and Prayer
  • Contact Us

Highly Favored 

6/11/2013

1 Comment

 
One of the first people to be called 'highly favored' in the New Testament is Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Did you ever wonder why God would tell the angel Gabriel to greet her in such a manner?  He not only greeted her as highly favored, he said it a second time, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." I think scripture gives us some clues as to why God felt this way about her and I would like to comment on two of them.

The first one is found in Luke 1:38, which is her response to Gabriel and his incredible, even wild, message about God's Spirit coming upon her, overshadowing her and planting the seed of redemption in her womb.  Even though Hebrew women throughout the ages longed to be the mother of the Messiah, not many would have ever guessed it would happen this way.  This makes Mary's response even more amazing. 

Gabriel tells her that with God NOTHING is impossible.  He spoke faith into her and she responded with "I am the Lord's bondservant, slave, handmaiden;"  whatever word you choose.  She was submitting as servant to Master.  She positioned herself in a way that God could honor her.  Remember, the humble will always be exalted.  Then she went on to say, "Let it be to me according to your word."  In other words, 'I accept everything you have said and I align myself with God's will.'  This is clue number 1. 

Another clue is found in John 2 at the wedding of Cana.  The discourse between Jesus and His mother is almost comical.  At a Hebrew wedding there were days of festivities and running out of wine before the party was over was an embarrassment.  So Mary takes it upon herself to help the guests save face by bringing it to her Son's attention.

She very cryptically says "They have no wine."  And in essence Jesus says, "So?"  It really wasn't His problem and He wasn't ready to engage in miracles right then. However, she wouldn't let it go and said a statement to the servants that should resound in all our ears -"Whatever He says to you, do it."

If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are already the favored of God.  His blood 'justifies' us and it's just-as-if-I'd-never-sinned.  We are now sons and daughters in His house and we are favored.  However, Mary's example of being HIGHLY favored has to be because of her great responses - 'You are God and I'm not.  I accept Your will.  Therefore, whatever You say I will do.'  In God's View, these are responses that are dear to His heart.  His Son responded in like manner.  So did His mother.  And now as their brothers and sisters, we get to participate in this as well.
1 Comment

Jesus is the Answer

6/4/2013

0 Comments

 
Its amazing to me that people today will try anything and everything to get answers to life's complexities except they don't want to try Jesus.  I've been talking with a friend for the past year who has some church background but hasn't attended in years.  We have talked about the Lord and I've even prayed with her during some rough times over and the other day she was all excited about going to see the Dali Lama.  Another lady had a horrible operation and a difficult recovery and I talked with her about Jesus helping her through it and she said, "Oh I just need to find my Zen place."  Really?  There is such a place?

People we encounter on the street would rather live on the street in the midst of what is familiar than launch out into the unknown waters of Jesus.  Others have told me that they aren't ready to give up their lifestyle of partying and carousing on the weekends.  Some women still think they'll find their ideal man in a bar.

I find it oddly fascinating that people still think of Jesus as a stiff, sour person who is allergic to having fun.  For His very first miracle at the wedding in Cana, He turned water into wine!  No one was healed, no one walked away hearing the Word taught with authority, no one witnessed the earth shaking or a voice thunder from heaven; only a few even knew what happened!  He simply did something that added to the joy and festivities of a wedding and He even did it at His mother's request!  That doesn't sound like someone who doesn't enjoy a good party.

Regardless of what some people may think, there are millions of other people around the world who know (in the words of an old Andre Crouch song) "Jesus is the answer for the world today, without Him there's no other - Jesus is the Way!"  I recently met a sweet angel from China who is studying in the United States to become a brain surgeon.  She came to my door by divine appointment from God (which is why I think she was an angel) to witness to me about Jesus.  We ended up praying for each other and she prayed a prayer that brought tears to my eyes.  Her sincerity really should be bottled.

Anyway, she asked me to pray for her country because, in her words, people are so simple and receive the message of Jesus so easily because they are hungering for an answer to so many questions.  They just need to hear the message!  When they receive Jesus they find the hope to carry on, the peace they long for, the reason for life and faith that He will lead them to where He is someday.  She encouraged my heart and reinforced in me that there is a world that is longing for the answer to all the questions of life.  And in God's View it will always and forever be JESUS!
0 Comments

    Author

    Dawn Sandquist is co-founder of Global Worship Initiatives, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people learn how to serve the Lord in all spheres of life - from the practical to the spiritual.  She is a teacher, or a writer, a mother, grandmother, friend, and devoted to learning and sharing her views of the Lord.

    Archives

    December 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    June 2014
    July 2013
    June 2013
    August 2012
    May 2011

    Categories

    All
    Bible Meditation
    Christ Made Known
    Church
    Ephesians 3:10
    Powers And Pricipalities
    The Body Of Christ
    Wisdom Of Christ

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.