Having Come In

"Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸ And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"

Luke 1:26-28

Here is a picture which is both awe-inspiring and slightly humorous:  God sent the angel Gabriel with glad tidings to Mary (a virgin at this stage) that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Messiah.  This obviously was not in the plans of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph, and the possibility had never entered into her mind until she heard the message spoken by Gabriel, having come in.  It is a funny thought to have an angel just walk into your house.  I have heard people talk about "what the cat dragged in" but it is amazing to consider God sending an angel to deliver a message without knocking first.  I imagine the angel did not hesitantly ask, "Hello?" as he peeked around the corner.  Gabriel walked in like he owned the place because he was right where he was supposed to be, for the almighty God had sent him.

God is the LORD and does what He pleases.  Jesus described Himself to the church of Laodicea as standing at the door and knocking, and God who directed Gabriel to enter the house unannounced and without permission of the one living there comes to us exactly as He pleases.  It is a marvelous thing that Gabriel revealed what God would do after "having come in."  This is also true concerning the insight provided by God's grace when a soul is born again through faith in Jesus.  On the night Jesus was betrayed He alluded to this grand entrance in John 14:23:  "Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."  In scripture God sent angelic and human messengers unsolicited by those to whom they spoke, Jesus waits until we willingly open our hearts to receive Him in faith before He comes in and fill us with the Holy Spirit.  With the exceptions of unique cases of John the Baptist who was filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb and Jesus who is the only begotten Son of God, God stands outside until we choose to receive Him by faith.

Isn't it wonderful how through the power of the Gospel God comes in, forgives us of sin, transforms our hearts and provides a revelation of Himself in this world and through His word?  See what Paul prayed for followers of Jesus in Ephesians 3:14-19, "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."  Gabriel came in and revealed facts about Mary's future, that she would be with child and would bear a son named JESUS.  Through faith in Jesus God has even revealed more than this to us, for He dwells within us, strengthens us, grounds us in His love, gives us the capacity to know God's love and "be filled with all the fullness of God."  No sire or pregnant woman--even Mary who carried Jesus in her womb--could make such audacious claims that are the birthright graciously given to all Christians.

Praise the LORD forever, who loves those who love Him, comes to us and makes His abode in us according to the riches of His glory!  May we never lose sight of the goodness of God to afford us such an intimate and life-giving relationship we have with Him by faith in Jesus.  The wise will wonder over the love of God now and forever, for it is infinite and eternal.  How great is the LORD, having come into us by grace, who reveals Himself continually as faithful, worthy and wonderful.  An angelic visitation is a very small thing indeed when compared to the revelation of God through Jesus Christ within us.