What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “the favor of God?” What thoughts do you associate with the concept of “blessing?”
It’s tempting to define these concepts in modern Western terms–in other words, we equate “favor” and “blessing” with more money, pleasure and comfort, or honor in the eyes of others, or freedom from hardship and suffering.
Turns out, the favor of God may not look like that at all. It’s much bigger than the trifles we enjoy on earth.
Mary, mother of Jesus, offers us a beautiful example of what it means to receive the favor of God.
Read the full meditation here: pregnancyhelpnews.com.
This Christmas, more than any other gift, may you recognize and receive the favor of the Most High.
Jesus turned the world upside-down. This means that everything we learn from culture is opposite of what Jesus wants us to learn. Success is not material. Love is not easy. Happiness is not a state of being. Success is how we live in the world; do we love our neighbor? do we give? do we live pridefully? Love means we do not hold hate and unforgiveness in our hearts for someone who has hurt us. It means that when you spouse is ill, old, mean, poor or anything else you may not like, you still love. (I do not mean that you have to accept abuse but you still love, even if you leave that person.) Love is not the romantic definition the world gives. Happiness is a high, you experience it briefly. Contentment is a state of being. Joy is a state of being.
So true! It’s life in the “upside down” Kingdom.