This is a rather interesting segment in the story of Christ Jesus written by Luke. I think there are some keys that unfold to the situation Elizabeth faced and the extraordinary faith of this humble young virgin girl named Mary.
First, Elizabeth was in her 6th month of pregnancy when Mary arrived at her home. She had now been secluded for all this time and only had Zechariah who was unable to speak to confide in. You have to wonder...what was she thinking? She had conceived, the reputation of being a barren woman now behind her, and yet...what was to happen? Will John her son become a priest like his fathers before him? Will Zechariah be able to speak ever again? What role would she have in raising John?...and what is to happen next?
And then, Mary arrives.....
Mary, a stark contrast to Zechariah in receiving the message from the angel Gabriel, for she believed the message with all her heart. She too was facing the issues of everyday life...How would Joseph react to all this? Would this cancel out her marriage to him? What am I to do in raising a child who is God's very own Son? How different will it be?...Will He experience a true childhood? How am I to raise Him?
Yet, Mary seemed to have the strength to rise above her circumstances. She seemed to be focused even though she too faced adversity. I think because of her "Abraham type faith" in believing what God had planned, she was truly anointed...and filled with the Holy Spirit. In verse 35 of this chapter it reads how God was to hover her like a cloud and she was filled with the Holy Spirit, being impregnated with God's Seed....that being His only Son.
Because of her strong faith...I think God blessed her with a gift of faith, and did the extraordinary things...in bringing the Christ child into our fallen world. Mary was almost unreal in her behavior and her faith in God.
And when Mary came to see Elizabeth...I think it was because Elizabeth really needed her...and read what happened!! In fact, Elizabeth, unlike Mary, had not been filled with the Holy Spirit...until Elizabeth heard Mary's voice...and that opened up a whole new discussion...one of strength...one of faith...and one that empowered these 2 blessed women...to carry out the plan given to them...by the Most High (as Gabriel had spoken).
One more thing, when Mary arrived to visit Elizabeth...How did Elizabeth know about Mary being pregnant?...and How did she know she was to bear God's very own Son? As these words uttered from her lips, after just being filled with the Holy Spirit....do you think this was quite shocking to her...to hear these very words come from her very own lips?
A Gleaning from Luke 1:39-45
" In only a few days Mary hurried to the countryside...into the hills of Judea. She arrived in Zechariah's home, and Elizabeth was there...to greet Mary! Yet, before Elizabeth had come to the door to embrace Mary, she heard Mary's voice with a greeting...and when hearing her words, the baby within Elizabeth leaped in joy! It was at that precise moment Elizabeth was filled...with the Holy Spirit!
Elizabeth then responded to Mary's greeting ...with a glad cry! In fact, it almost appears Elizabeth burst out in song, for now the Holy Spirit was infilling her, and she replies to Mary: " Mary! You are so favored of the Lord...far beyond any other women! For you carry within your womb the Favored One...the very Fruit of God Himself! And yet, here in my very home I should be so honored to welcome the mother of God's very own Son...and you have come to visit...me!
I must confess that when my ears first heard your voice and greet me my dear and blessed Mary, my own child I bear within my womb...leaped and jumped for joy!
And why is this all so?...Because my dear Mary...you are truly blessed!...for you simply believe what has been told to you!"
First, Elizabeth was in her 6th month of pregnancy when Mary arrived at her home. She had now been secluded for all this time and only had Zechariah who was unable to speak to confide in. You have to wonder...what was she thinking? She had conceived, the reputation of being a barren woman now behind her, and yet...what was to happen? Will John her son become a priest like his fathers before him? Will Zechariah be able to speak ever again? What role would she have in raising John?...and what is to happen next?
And then, Mary arrives.....
Mary, a stark contrast to Zechariah in receiving the message from the angel Gabriel, for she believed the message with all her heart. She too was facing the issues of everyday life...How would Joseph react to all this? Would this cancel out her marriage to him? What am I to do in raising a child who is God's very own Son? How different will it be?...Will He experience a true childhood? How am I to raise Him?
Yet, Mary seemed to have the strength to rise above her circumstances. She seemed to be focused even though she too faced adversity. I think because of her "Abraham type faith" in believing what God had planned, she was truly anointed...and filled with the Holy Spirit. In verse 35 of this chapter it reads how God was to hover her like a cloud and she was filled with the Holy Spirit, being impregnated with God's Seed....that being His only Son.
Because of her strong faith...I think God blessed her with a gift of faith, and did the extraordinary things...in bringing the Christ child into our fallen world. Mary was almost unreal in her behavior and her faith in God.
And when Mary came to see Elizabeth...I think it was because Elizabeth really needed her...and read what happened!! In fact, Elizabeth, unlike Mary, had not been filled with the Holy Spirit...until Elizabeth heard Mary's voice...and that opened up a whole new discussion...one of strength...one of faith...and one that empowered these 2 blessed women...to carry out the plan given to them...by the Most High (as Gabriel had spoken).
One more thing, when Mary arrived to visit Elizabeth...How did Elizabeth know about Mary being pregnant?...and How did she know she was to bear God's very own Son? As these words uttered from her lips, after just being filled with the Holy Spirit....do you think this was quite shocking to her...to hear these very words come from her very own lips?
A Gleaning from Luke 1:39-45
" In only a few days Mary hurried to the countryside...into the hills of Judea. She arrived in Zechariah's home, and Elizabeth was there...to greet Mary! Yet, before Elizabeth had come to the door to embrace Mary, she heard Mary's voice with a greeting...and when hearing her words, the baby within Elizabeth leaped in joy! It was at that precise moment Elizabeth was filled...with the Holy Spirit!
Elizabeth then responded to Mary's greeting ...with a glad cry! In fact, it almost appears Elizabeth burst out in song, for now the Holy Spirit was infilling her, and she replies to Mary: " Mary! You are so favored of the Lord...far beyond any other women! For you carry within your womb the Favored One...the very Fruit of God Himself! And yet, here in my very home I should be so honored to welcome the mother of God's very own Son...and you have come to visit...me!
I must confess that when my ears first heard your voice and greet me my dear and blessed Mary, my own child I bear within my womb...leaped and jumped for joy!
And why is this all so?...Because my dear Mary...you are truly blessed!...for you simply believe what has been told to you!"
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