**Daily Devotional** **December 10** *28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. - Luke 1:28-29 (KJV)* The Christmas Story begins. The Greek word that was translated “highly favoured” in this verse, was only used one other time in scripture, where it said that those that are born again are “accepted” in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6). So we, who are born again, are as highly favored as Mary was, as this is where the angel came into Mary, and told her that she would be the mother of Jesus. Wow, to think we are just as highly favored as the mother of Jesus is awesome, and the Lord is with us also, and we are blessed among all others. Jesus actually said that those that hear, and keep, the word of God, were more blessed than Mary was (Luke 11:28). What a wonderful thing it was, for Mary, to be told that she would be the mother of the Messiah, which the Jew’s had been waiting, and watching, for all those years. It is amazing that us humans, when in the presence of the Lord, or His angels, become troubled, even though the greeting was a blessing. It just illustrates the fact that God has placed knowledge of Him in all us humans when we are born, and we know that He is holy, and we are not (Romans 1:18-20). All through the bible, just about everyone that came into the presence of a spiritual being, fell on their faces, as we know that we are sinners by nature, and in the presence of holiness, we are overwhelmed with our unworthiness. What a wonderful thing it was for God to bring Jesus into being, through a virgin, so that we could again be righteous in His sight, and could fellowship with Him again (John 17:3). Praise God for Jesus. Devotional by Pastor Joe W. Green, www.infinite-faith.com