The Lord is with you. (I know in your mind – you just said, “And also with you!” Or, maybe you mouthed the words. Or, even said them out loud! Good job! You know the liturgy…well!
But it is not just a part of the liturgy, you know! I believe it to be something that is true. Very true. I believe it more and more, every single day.
The Lord “IS” with you. I see it. I know it. And together we are doing great and wondrous things.
If God is, who he says he is, if God is who the Bible declares him to be…then, God is with YOU.
And he works through people just like you and me.
Emmanuel – “God with us.” Always!
We are not alone. We have not been abandoned. God is our constant guide, eternally by our sides – leading us.
We are also in good company, if you think about it…The scriptures say that…Mary is perplexed, confused and perhaps troubled by the angel’s words. And how could she not be?
Favored her? Why me? You’ve got to be kidding…
“Favored One…” Now that’s a little bit more foreign to our ears! And yet, that’s what we are.
We the “favored ones…” “Ones held in high esteem”…maybe not by ourselves… God knows how “hard” we can be on ourselves! …And the wringer that we can often put ourselves through…God understands, he gets it – how self degrading we can be. Maybe we are not held in high esteem by others – because they can be just as critical of us, as we are of them…
But favored by God. The “important one!” The “all” important one! The One that counts! The only one that counts!
We are His. We belong to Him.
This is actually “beautiful baptismal theology.” God loves us and has adopted us and made us HIS own.
I feel sorry for others that do not have this kind of a meaningful relationship with God…
I see God’s hand working all over the place and through all kinds of people…and on a daily basis.
But I get it! I understand it. There are others, tons of others – that do not feel this way at all.
God for many people is a “passive being.” They believe that IF God is doing ANYTHING, it’s pretty much hanging out in the background, watching, waiting, being supportive, encouraging.
Kind of like the refrain of that old Bette Midler song of a few years back, “God is watching us, God is watching us, and God is watching us…from a distance.”
That’s not, of course, the biblical picture of God at all. Nor is it my view!
Sure, God watches. But God also gets involved – God does things, all kinds of things — great and small, mighty, mundane, or miraculous, God is constantly at work…all over the place!
That’s whether we see it, learn about it or believe it or not. God is at work…
We may not get the answers we seek…but God is present…just the same.
Romans 8 – declares, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Always present, always working and for our good. Even though we do not understand it or are unable to see the larger picture. And, we are “favored!”
I am favored by God. You are favored by God. Indeed, God wants to do great things for us and through us!
One of those things may be:
Because the God of Joseph, Mary and Jesus is still active, I believe God is still at work in the world, especially through ordinary people just like us!
Therefore, though I do not always understand how and why God is at work, I can still answer, “Here am I, a servant of the Lord. Let it be with me according to your word.”
I can offer to do my part, no matter how big or how small – that part is…
“Greetings, favored ones. The Lord is with you and intends to do great things through you.
But people quite normally think to themselves – “How can this be? We are ordinary, everyday people.”
“Yet you have found favor through God, and the Holy Spirit will come upon you, guide you, and work through you to care for this world and for its people that God loves so much. For nothing is impossible with God.
It’s an “incredible thing” to be noticed, to be called “favored,” to be invited into meaningful work.
It is an “awesome thing” to know and to believe that the LORD is with me – truly with me…everyday…no matter where I go…or where I happen to be.
God is there. God is present. He is with me. And, I am favored!