Week 1 - Day 5 (HOPE - against depression)
Joy in the Mystery of God- Luke 1:39-56
In this passage, we meet two pregnant women, both carrying miracle babies who were destined for enormous things in the kingdom of God. Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit, and Elizabeth became pregnant in her old age.
As a young teen, Mary lived in a time where biblical law was followed to the letter. Becoming pregnant and unmarried would have been a shameful thing to have lived with in a Jewish community. Teen pregnancies were very uncommon. People would have believed scandalous things about her that weren’t true. She probably felt the burden of shame put on her by her family and society. Before Mary arrived at Elizabeth’s home, she was probably filled with questions, doubt, and fear. Mary was a virgin but knew that an angel had visited, telling her of the birth of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
For decades, Elizabeth was without children when everything about her world venerated being a mother to many. She had been pushed aside and didn’t fit the norms of her culture for most of her entire adult life. Yet, she remained faithful to God. She was faithful when there were no answers and faithful when things didn’t make sense. Her deep understanding of God and his goodness and grace was still prevalent well into her old age. At an age when she had probably given up any hope of having children, she found herself pregnant- her joints were probably stiff, her skin wrinkled, and her movements were slow. It was during that time that God chose to bring about a tremendous miracle. She had lived through fear and loss. She might have been fearful of how the pregnancy would progress and if she would even survive childbirth. Yet, the scriptures focus on her willingness to proclaim the promise of God and the Holy Spirit’s work in her life. Everything about her interaction with Mary as they met on the road proclaimed joy and praise. Her faith was not one that focused on the memories of a faraway childhood faith, but joy and wonder at an amazing God who performs miracles right in the here and now. The Bible says that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary was met with a blessing, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear… blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”
Elizabeth was a pillar that young Mary could lean on and rejoice with. Who better to understand being talked about and misunderstood? Who could understand the mystery of a miracle and the power of God’s work in the world? Mary was attracted to that faith and learned from it. Upon learning that Elizabeth was pregnant, Mary immediately went to her. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for 3 months. This meant Mary learned from the faith of Elizabeth, as well as the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth as she entered that season herself. By remaining faithful to the Lord and His plan, Mary knew she had hardships coming, but even through it all, she wouldn’t be alone.
What dreams do you have that you are still waiting on to see God work? What joy and faith are you intentionally imparting onto those who are looking up to you? How can you look to those who walked the journey of faith before you?