Day 4 ( Gabriel)

Luke 1 :26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”  29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,Mary; you have found favour with God.

I think sometimes the best way to read Scripture is with ones mind's eye.  To imagine the scene rather than just read the words.  So here's what I imagine is going on in this passage from Luke's gospel.

Firstly, there's an angel.   Not just any angel, but Gabriel,
What is he like I wonder.........?
Im imagining someone huge, shining and scary.  Huge because whenever Ive had any notion of angels being present I've usually just had the feeling that they are massive. Colossal.  Shining because Gabriel has come from the presence of God - and we know what that does, it transfigures, it made the face of Moses shine so brightly he had to cover up.  Dazzling is how I imagine Gabriel.   And given that whenever he appears he has to reassure people that it's OK, not to be afraid, don't freak out Im not going to hurt you - then I think scary is probably apt.
(for a quick overview on Gabriel this is quite a concise read  https://gotquestions.org/angel-Gabriel.html )

I wonder what the words ' greetings you who are highly favoured'  would translate as nowadays.  Perhaps  '  Hey Mary - God thinks you are brilliant'   or  ' Hi there, did you know just how special you are to God ?  Did you know that He is on your side?'   We read the slightly old fashioned language of our Bible translations and we miss the point.  Gabriel was telling this perfectly ordinary little nobody from the back of beyond that she has been noticed by God, seen by Him, singled out by Him.  Called.  Chosen. Loved. Favoured.    '' Do not be afraid Mary ; you have found favour with God'    

How had she ' found favour'?  What had she done?  Was she especially holy and good?  Was she devout and religious and had she been fervently praying for an angelic visitation or a that she would become Mother of the Messiah?   I doubt it.   In fact I suspect that Mary was no more holy and good and noble and pure than me.  Or you.   I dont think anything she had done had earned her the right to become the mother of Jesus.  I think God just chose her because   ' I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy'  ( Ex 33;19)  ie: because He wanted to .

Isnt it amazing that the God of the universe smiles down on ordinary, unexceptional, small people who have done nothing remarkable or noteworthy and offers to share His Son with them?   Isnt it incredible that just by being a human being we can ' find favour with God' ?  The world seems to have forgotten that God really likes people.  He is daily presenting Himself to ordinary men women and children and saying '  Hello,  did you know that I am with you and I'm on your side?  Did you know that I am standing at your door knocking and that if you open up I will come in and birth myself in you by My Spirit?'

Good news isnt it?

Maybe this Advent you will get the chance to tell someone.