I have wondered many times how Mary’s life changed once the angel Gabriel told her she was to bear the Messiah. I have pondered so many questions. How did Mary tell Joseph? How was she treated by her family and her friends? How much gossip and ridicule surrounded her? Did Mary ever fear for her life or the life of her child? Or was she truly at peace, trusting that the Lord would protect her?
Perhaps my greatest question, though, is this one: Why her? The angel called Mary “highly favored,” and scripture says she was deeply troubled by that greeting (Luke 1:28-29). I think a reasonable conclusion is that Mary did not understand what made her so highly favored in the eyes of the Lord, something I think we can all relate to.
It is easy to look at our lives and question what makes us highly favored in the eyes of God. We argue with one another. We have malice and rage in our hearts. We lie, we steal, we lust. Over and over, we allow ourselves to slip into old habits and sin.
And yet, God is with us. That is the very meaning of Immanuel: “God with us!” The One who was in the beginning is the One who was with Mary and is also the One who is with us now. Even though we wander like lost sheep, God is with us. Even though we run away like the prodigal son, God is with us. And though we reject Him like Peter, God is with us. He is always with us.