“And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’” (Luke 1:28, ESV).
I love the movie, The Nativity Story. If you haven't seen it, someone has graciously put it on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOyejzcVxcg&feature=related. In the segment, The Nativity Story 3/10, the scene begins with the angel coming to Mary to tell her than she is favored and that "The Lord is with you." Our minds have a hard time imagining what Mary must have felt to hear this amazing news. The God of the universe had chosen her to carry His Son. The angel tells her that she is favored, and then he assures her that The Lord is with her! Words that changed her life, as well as ours.
I don't know about you, but there are times that I know the Lord is with me, and yet I don't feel it. Mary must have had many times during her pregnancy and her life that she felt the same way. Imagine the ridicule, the physical changes, and the challenges of keeping her perspective. The words from the angel must have been a comfort to her as people laughed and as she tried to prepare for the birth of our Lord.
As the Christmas season quickly approaches, there is so much to do. My house is barely back to normal after Thanksgving guests and all that cooking. The thought of papers to be graded, writing projects both large and small, emails to catch up on, and administrative details with the added pressure of gifts to buy, decorations that need to go up, and a packed schedule, can send me over the edge. It is easy to be overwhelmed with it all. It is as if everyone needs something and there is not a moment to spare anywhere!
In the midst of it all, I have to allow myself to be comforted by the fact that the Lord is with me. When I invited Christ to come into my life, forgive me of my wrongdoings, and be my boss; it changed my life forever. God came in, cleansed me from sin, and made me a new creature. He become my constant companion - even in the midst of the Christmas rush. He will be with me through the cleaning, working, gift-buying, and all the traveling. Lord, thank you for the reminder.
This season, have you allowed Christ into your life? Take a few minutes and thank Him that He is forever there, with you. Who do you know that needs a touch for the Savior? Who needs to know that God is there for them through the belief in His Son, Jesus Christ? Share with someone how God can be with them too. Be comforted that He will be with you when you do. Let's pray for each other.
