It's been one week since my husband and I met with our pastor to discuss the sermon on Luke 2 and "prompting God's favor."

My husband did a phenominal job of keeping us focused on the text. Our pastor admitted that the qualities that Mary possessed (which he believes prompted God's favor) are not in the text, but he holds to his opinion that those qualities are implied by her response and in her Magnificat.

My husband referenced a piece by Schaeffer that discussed Mary's reponse to God as one of active passivity.

He also told our pastor that when he hears there are things that can be done to prompt God's favor he hears legalism. My husband then quoted a piece on legalism being a grace killer written by Chuck Swindoll. Our pastor said he would have to see the whole context of what C. Swindoll was talking about to get a better understanding of what my husband was saying.

Please pray for our family as we proceed. My husband is patient and he would like to believe that the tent at our church is big enough to hold a few Calvinists. I, on the other hand, would love to leave and attend a PCA that is in our town. Our elementary school aged children are content at our current church and would be shocked if we left.