Luke 1:29 (NIV) Mary was greatly troubled at (Gabriel’s) words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.”
Mary tried to process the supernatural with her human mind, and fear began to overwhelm her senses. Immediately, the angel intervened with words of comfort. How easily fear takes over when we cannot understand something outside the boundaries of our everyday normal experiences. The Holy Spirit is God’s agent of love distribution: “God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). Mary pushed past her fear and listened to the remainder of Gabriel’s message—a glorious message that changed the world. As Jill Briscoe says, “First comes obedience, then comes the courage.” Walk in obedience to the Lord, and courage will come.
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