December 10, 2025 | Luke 1:26-38 |
Like Mary, many of us struggle to understand that God wants to do something significant in our lives. We look at our resumes, our past mistakes, or our current limitations, and we think, “God couldn’t possibly use me. I’m nothing special.” We tend to think God’s favor is something we have to earn, achieve, or qualify for. We need to know today that God’s activity in our lives isn’t based on our performance, but on His unmerited favor. If we miss this, we miss the heart of the Gospel.
Luke’s account shows us a different way. It shows us that God breaks into ordinary history to reveal His extraordinary, unmerited grace to ordinary people.
In the gospel according to Luke, he recorded how the angel Gabriel announced God’s gracious favor to Mary, revealing the miraculous conception of God’s Son and assuring her through God’s Word and power so that she might respond in faithful submission.