friends of God. I wonder if those of us who have called God our Father for a lifetime, who have peace through Jesus Christ, who are promised an eternity in the new kingdom, have forgotten the unmerited favor by which we were saved. Sometimes we feel entitled to salvation and act as if this is a gift that we’ve merited on our own. Perhaps it’s time, this Christmas, to return to the shock and awe Mary experiences when the angel says to her: “You … are highly favored!” (Luke 1:28 NIV). Mary was powerless