Luke 1v31-45
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (ESV)
This passage highlights the divine timing of God in sending His Son into the world.
- The Fullness of the Season
The culmination of God’s plan for salvation (see Gal. 4:4-5, Eph. 1:9-10, Rom. 5:6). God’s divine plan unfolds in accordance with His divine will.
God has set each season in place:
a) What new opportunities do you see in the Spring season in your life?
b) Perhaps you are in the harvest season (summer). What harvest in your life do you see?
c) Some of us may be experiencing a season of pruning (autumn). Pruning is the removal of both the living and dead parts. Pruning living things are uncomfortable and painful, but is necessary for the upcoming winter.
d) In the winter season trees and plants have to grow deeper for their roots to reach water.
It offers an opportunity for us to go deeper and grow in the Lord. - The Faithfulness of a Saint
Mary’s faithfulness shines bright as she visits her relative Elizabeth, herself also miraculously being pregnant. Faithfulness means being steadfast and loyal.
Two important aspects of obedience:
a) Immediate action – Joseph obeyed God’s call without delay.
b) Complete – In contrast king Saul’s obedience was incomplete.
Jesus’s obedience was both immediate and complete.
With the Lord Jesus, we experience Divine proximity and Divine presence. - The Fellowship of Saints
a) The Greeting – important to foster unity. It’s the recognising of another person’s existence, acknowledging the image of God in other human beings (2 Sam. 8:10, 1 Sam, 10:4, Thess. 1:1).
b) The Gladness – upon hearing Mary’s greeting, the unborn John the Baptist leapt for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. To leap for joy is an apt response with the news that Jesus is Immanuel – God with us, reminding us of John 1:14.
This advent is an opportunity to encourage one another with faith, hope and love. - Filling with the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit enables us to go through the various seasons of life, to be faithful to God and one another. He enables us to testify to one another with glad hearts concerning what God has done and to live a Christ glorifying life. It is a work of God which man cannot replicate. Simon the sorcerer tried to buy this gift (Act 8:9-24). What a grave mistake!
The Holy Spirit guides us in truth.
a) The Blessedness in Fellowship – Elizabeth’s blessing emphasizes the fellowship we are to have as Jesus’ followers. Psalm 133 says blessed are those who dwell together in unity. See also Heb. 10:25.
b) The Blessedness of Faith – She acknowledged Mary’s faith, which is believing God at His Word (see Heb. 11:1, 6; 1 Cor. 13:13). When we don’t have faith we are, like the serpent, calling God a liar (Gen. 3:1) and God takes exception to that because He is the very essence of what is true and real.
Faith is believing God at His Word. This Advent time, let us like Mary believe God’s Word by placing our faith in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:39). It means accepting as true that the eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us – that in Jesus all of God’s promises find their fulfilment (2 Cor. 1:10).
Our passage reveals profound truths about the Christian journey. We are reminded to embrace the fullness of each divine season. May we be inspired by the example of Mary and Elizabeth as we navigate our own spiritual journeys during this time and the year to come.