Luke 1:11-13 & 29-30 & 41-43 (NIVUK)
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
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.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
A theme shared by Zechariah, Mary and Elizabeth is the surprise that God has chosen them – what have they done to earn the Lord’s favour? But the cause of their favour is not something they have done or said, it is not their purity or piousness, their popularity of power, it is simply God’s grace and love. He has chosen them, as he has chosen us in different ways, to be the object of his love and action. We don’t have to be ‘good enough’, it’s all about his goodness, not ours.
Lord, thank you for the freedom and joy that comes from knowing your grace and favour!
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