Re:Verse passage – Luke 1:26-38 (day three)
“[Mary] was very perplexed at [the angel’s] statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.”
Of course Mary was disconcerted. In Mary’s world, no one used “highly favored” as a mere formality, a cliché. This was not “dearly beloved, we are gathered here” or “world’s best cup of coffee.” The angel referred to Mary as highly favored precisely because the God of heaven and earth felt deep approval towards her. Mary could sense that an experience of an otherworldly kind had enveloped her. She knew not what it meant, nor what was in store, but she discerned the profound presence of safety and goodwill around her. In other words, when the angel called her highly favored, she felt the high favor. She didn’t know what came next, but she understood that she was going to be alright because God favored her.
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