39 Now [a]at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And [b]how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who [c]believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her [d]by the Lord.” (Luke 1:39-45)
Mary is full of awe, yet stunned at what just happened. A messenger of God had appeared to her and told her not only was she going to have a baby in the most miraculous way, her old relative Elizabeth also was going to have a child and she was already 6 months along.
Mary knew what to do and gathered her things and hurried to the town where she would find Elizabeth.
As she stepped into the home and greeted it something amazing happened. No prayer was prayed, no hands laid on Elizabeth, but as Mary uttered the greeting when she entered the home, the baby (John) leaped inside the womb and not only that, his mother (Elizabeth) was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Imagine that, a greeting caused this baby to leap and its mother to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Right then and there Elizabeth exclaims in a loud voice: “Blessed are you among women and blessed the child you will bear.”
Elizabeth counted herself favored that Mary would come to visit her. I can only imagine the people in the town talking about ‘old’ Elizabeth, probably not blessing her with their words. Yet Mary comes in, blesses the home and it causes a chain reaction. Her faith, her heart, her obedience to hurry over to Elizabeth’s house, to share this moment with her causes a chain of events even in Elizabeth’s life that I am sure blessed her beyond words.
The baby leaps for joy and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. In return Elizabeth speaks forth a blessing over Mary that she is blessed because she believed what the Lord had spoken to her. She believed it would be accomplished.
Yesterday I posted the story of the angel visiting with Mary and how she expressed such faith in believing it would happen to her as the messenger told her.
Now, Elizabeth also recognizes and blesses Mary for believing the Word of God to her life and not only believing it, but believing it will be accomplished.
Two women, full of faith, with a heart to obey, to live life in obedience to the Lord, to be used by Him to bring forth promises of YHWH to their people.
What has God spoken to you that you are doubting about, that you are having a hard time believing? Are you still struggling with the “how” it will happen? Are you still wondering wether the words were from God or not?
Mary knew enough about God that she trusted the words of the messenger to be from the Almighty. She didn’t question it even if it didn’t make sense to her mind. She took this into her heart and chose to believe that it would be as He said.
Elizabeth confirms this over Mary’s life and calls her blessed for believing that word and believing it would be accomplished.
This Christmas Eve as you ponder on the beauty of the birth of Christ, may you also ponder on the words that have been spoken over you. May you walk in faith and trust that the word He speaks will be accomplished.
Maybe the circumstances are strange (so were Mary’s), maybe the word is rather odd (so was Mary’s), but God’s words always come to pass, they will be accomplished. Walk in obedience and there will be others who will see your faith and will call you blessed, others will start asking you about your faith, others will not understand it, but you just keep walking in what He spoke to you, do not waver to the left or to the right.
As you ponder, may your heart rejoice like Mary’s and bring forth a song of praise to the Lord God Almighty. May you be able to say along with her:
“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.”
Equipping and Sending 