“The Lord Has Given You

Special Favor.”

In the sixth month after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee. He was sent to a virgin. The girl was engaged to a man named Joseph. He came from the family line of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel greeted her and said, "The Lord has given you special favor. He is with you."

Mary was very upset because of his words. She wondered what kind of greeting this could be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary. God is very pleased with you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king like his father David of long ago. He will rule forever over his people, who came from Jacob's family. His kingdom will never end."

Luke 1:26-33

So Joseph went also. He went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea. That is where Bethlehem, the town of David, was. Joseph went there because he belonged to the family line of David. He went there with Mary to be listed. Mary was engaged to him. She was expecting a baby.

While Joseph and Mary were there, the time came for the child to be born. She gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him in a manger. There was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 24-7

Imagine this time over 2,000 years ago. Mary knew she was pregnant. She knew she was a virgin. She knew God had visited her. But could she have possibly known what was in store for her? She only knew what God wanted her to know, when He wanted her to know it. As Jesus was growing up, imagine the way she must have thought about Him.

Mary had much to think about that first night that Jesus came into the world. Now, many years later we think about the same things Mary must have thought about. We each need to consider the importance of Jesus’ birth and His subsequent death, resurrection, and promise to return.

God came to live with us so that we could live with Him.

Our Daily Bread – December 25, 2009