Luke 1:39-45

Luke 1:39-45

In those days, after Mary stood up she went into the mountains with haste into a city of Judah.  And she went into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.  And as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, it happened that the baby in her womb leapt and Elizabeth was being filled with the Holy Spirit.  And she cried out with a great shout and said, “You are having been blessed in women, and the fruit of your womb is having been blessed.  And why is this to me in order that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For behold.  As the sound of your greeting came into my ears, the baby in my womb leapt in extreme joy.  And blessed is the she who believes that the fulfillment will be for that which has been spoken to her from the Lord.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Mary flees to Elizabeth after she hears the word of Gabriel.  In fact, we almost get the idea in these verses that her flight is immediate.  She’s running scared. Who can blame her?  How often do angels appear to people and give messages from God?  Even more to the point, how often does the Lord send His Son into human flesh?  This is a new and unique experience, who can blame Mary for being afraid and fleeing.  However, let’s look where she flees.  She flees to Elizabeth.  Don’t forget how God was doing something through her, too.  A spiritually unique individual goes to be mentored by another spiritually unique individual in similar circumstances.  Elizabeth has a chance to coach her.  She has a chance to guide her.  She has an opportunity to speak out of her own life experience into the life of Mary.  Mary may run, but she runs right into the place where she needs to be.  She doesn’t run from God, she runs with God.

Have you ever been scared of what God was calling you to do?  How does fear affect you?  Does fear make it easier or more difficult to hear God?  How can you learn to humbly listen to God and obey His will even in the midst of your fear?

Second Thought:

I love that Elizabeth’s spiritual son leaps in her womb.  Remember that Elizabeth is no spring chicken.  She has lived a few years.  She knows that her son is something special and will be used by God.  This, when Mary shows up at her doorstep and her child leaps in her womb, she’s capable of putting two and two together and reaching the correct conclusion.  Elizabeth’s wisdom and her willingness to obey God allow her to use what happens around her to see God more fully.  Furthermore, she then shares this experience with the far less experienced Mary.  Elizabeth can use even this event to put Mary at ease in her life.

Who are the wise sages around you that see God at work around them and illustrate it for you?  Can you do this into the lives of the people around you?

Third Thought:

Elizabeth does pronounce a blessing upon Mary here in these verse.  She is praised for believing in the word of the Lord.  She certainly didn’t understand it.  I’m not honestly sure that even after Gabriel explained what would happen that she understood.  After all, as we discussed above, Mary fled!  But just because she didn’t understand doesn’t mean that she didn’t believe.  We can believe in that which we do not fully understand.  That is the fundamental definition of belief, in fact.  We cannot fully understand God, yet we still believe.  In this story Mary gives us a great example of the walk with God.  We may not understand.  But we can still act, follow Him, and obey.

How good are you at stepping out in faith?  Do you desire to understand everything before you act?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 1:46-56