The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 1:28-30, “And coming in, (the angel Gabriel) said to her, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’

29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

30 The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.’”

The LORD has always had His messengers. On this occasion, the messenger was the

angel Gabriel. He just suddenly appeared to the teenaged Mary, who was engaged and

awaiting marriage. To say she was startled by Gabriel’s appearance is beyond question.

He called her by her name, Mary, and told her not to be afraid because she had “found

favor with God.” Mary was a pure girl, perhaps the purest girl in all Israel at that time.

I was preaching a meeting in St. Louis when a young girl sang. The pastor told me she

was “the purest girl he had ever known.” Mary was like that, only more so. Pure people

always find favor with God. There is so much evil in the world that those who are pure

really stand out! God notices our purity –or the lack of it. But, what is more valuable

than to know that we have “found favor with God”? There are good things in store for

Mary; and there are good things from God in store for you. Just stay pure and wait!

We love each of you, and you have found favor with us!

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas