Reading 4—Blessed and Highly Favored!
Read Mark 3:1-35
In the Pentecostal and/or Evangelical traditions, people speak of being “anointed” or having an “anointing” on their lives. Those blessed enough to be perceived to have an anointing, are assumed to be favored, and very special in the eyes of God. Special circumstances surround them; they stand out in a crowd; they exude a certain aura; they are CHOSEN. These folks are “blessed and highly favored.”
From the selection of his parents, the circumstances of his birth, recognition and baptism by John the Baptist, we see that Jesus is chosen and blessed with something that others do not have, when he preaches and teaches, his words burn within the soul of his listeners. He is favored by God and very special. Jesus exuded an aura, he stood out in a crowd. Jesus was “blessed and highly favored” by God, his father. The events throughout his short time in ministry, each story he tells, each person he heals, each miracle that he performs, all point to him as anointed, chosen, special.
Eventually, some are enlightened to who he is, but many are not. Jesus’ family was not always “all in” with his preaching either. They went to get him when they heard about what he was doing, saying that he was “out of his mind.” Jesus, however, continued with his teaching in spite of his family because he was anointed by God and the Holy one.
Today, when we read the words of the Gospel, our eyes and hearts are opened to accept Jesus as our anointed Savior because we know the rest of the story.
Am I living the type of spiritual life that makes me feel blessed, highly favored and anointed through God’s love?
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son, who was blessed and highly favored by you to save us from our sin. Give us wisdom to understand your teaching and to do your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Felicia Eybl writes: I am a native North Carolinian. Originally, Methodist, I came to Cross and Crown Lutheran Church and the ELCA through my German husband, who was Lutheran. I have two children and five of the most adorable grandchildren in the world. My husband and I attended “Luther’s Hochzeit” (wedding), a Renaissance Fest type event one summer in Wittenberg and had dinner with Martin and Katie!
