December 17, 2015
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:39-45
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Questions for Reflection:
Why did Mary hurry to the Zechariah and Elizabeth’s house? In a time before social media and telephones, there is a chance that Mary had not heard prior to the angel’s pronouncement of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. There is absolutely no doubt that Elizabeth was in the dark of what was going on in Mary’s life. When Mary greeted Elizabeth what happened?
The words that Elizabeth exclaims are not mere ecstatic utterances, but they are Holy Spirit filled praises. The primary theme of Elizabeth’s speech is “blessed.” What does it mean to be blessed? Who does Elizabeth say is blessed or favored? Why does Elizabeth believe she has been favored? Why does Elizabeth say Mary is blessed in verse 45?
How incredible is it that God would choose to use two women with unremarkable backgrounds to completely change the world? In a time when women were not valued, when young girls were often left to die, when Jewish men would start their prayers by saying, “God, thank you for not making me a Gentile or a woman,” God chose to act through two women. If God would work through Elizabeth and Mary, who might He choose to work through today? Might He choose to work through you?