The Most High Will Overshadow You

Last night I listened to a voicemail from a friend who was inquiring about the virgin birth and that sparked a great meditation. God was revealed to be a father through the virgin birth. He Fathered Jesus in a unique way and He fathers us in a unique way also.

"And he came to her and said, 'Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!' But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.' And Mary said to the angel, 'How will this be, since I am a virgin?' And the angel answered her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God." - Luke 1:28-35 ESV

The virgin birth was miraculous. How was a holy child born to a fallen women? We can say the blood of the fetus remains separate from the blood of the mother and that is true but clearly Jesus was Mary's son. He had to be in order to be a full representative of the human race. It boggles the mind. This is the part that struck me this morning.

'...the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy...'

The greek word translated overshadow is episkiazō (Strong's G1982) and this envelope of God Himself was linked to Jesus' holiness (or set-apartness).

Mary becoming a mother revealed God to be a father.

"...for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." - Galatians 3:26-27 ESV

God adopts us and His name overshadows us. We become holy.

People talk about God and say many things but to know God He must be known as a father.

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' " - John 14:6 ESV

There is a wall of holiness if anyone tries to approach any other way. As children in His shadow we are set apart ones. We can ask and He will answer. We can approach and we will never be turned away. We aren't distant admirers who want a photo with a celebrity. We are children that resemble our parent and dwell in the same residence.

Mary was a most favored woman and we are favored also. Once we believe in Jesus renames us as His own.

--