I was struck by this twist on our Christmas greeting: wishing each other a "๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ" as opposed to a "Merry Christmas"
The angel Gabriel, God's messenger, brought an out-of-this-world greeting to a young Jewish teenager, Mary. This angel-from-the-realm-of-glory's initial words to Mary dripped of God's grace and goodness: "๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ๐๐! ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ." The verb translated โ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ๐๐โ [Luke 1:28] is only used two times in the whole New Testament.
Itโs used in this instance for Mary: โYou are highly favored.โ โฆ But itโs also used in Ephesians 1:6, which says you are โaccepted in the Beloved.โ The same blessing that was pronounced to Mary, "highly favored", is also said of us as believers. Let that mind-blowing truth sink in. Wow! In Christ, we are "accepted"..."highly favored"!
As Gabriel proclaimed to Mary, our Abba, to the praise of His glorious grace, speaks over each one of us who are "accepted" in His Son. This message, this life-changing, mind-blowing truth, brings with it the same possibilities and the same miraculous Presence because the same verb is used. When we know the love of God in Jesus Christ, we also become candidates for the redemptive, miraculous entry of His Spirit which far exceeds anything we could ever do in ourselves.
Think about it - we, along with Mary, are highly favored! I want to remind you this Christmas that Abba is especially fond of YOU. You are highly favored by the LORD. You are lavishly loved by our Father God.
Christmas changes everything! This astounding truth changes everything!
Wherever you are this Christmas, whatever you lack today, allow His Presence to flood in bringing deliverance, strength, health, restoration, wisdom, peace, and hope. I pray you will feel His divine Presence - ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ - ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฎ๐ฌ - the true gift of Christmas. I want to personally wish you a "๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ" and a New Year filled with the joy of continuing to unwrap this incredible truth, highly favored one, that "with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37).
Written by Gina Paglialonga who is peacefully asleep right now in Florida.