This Sunday my pastor spoke about Mary's visit to her relative Elizabeth. She said that the journey likely took her up to nine days on foot. All the way Mary was probably thinking about the news that Gabriel had told her that she would bear a son even though she had never been with a man. Greater still, she would be carrying the son of God!
We can only imagine how Mary must have felt. She probably was nervous about what others in town would think of her being pregnant and unwed. Most likely she wondered if people would even believe her story of the extraordinary news that the angel had told her.
The bible tells us that she hurried to Elizabeth and Zechariah's house. As soon as Mary uttered her greeting, Elizabeth exclaimed "God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry. Why do I have this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her."- Luke 1:42-45
The next scripture we have is Mary's Magnificat in which she praises her Lord and Savior. What a comfort it must have been for Mary to hear Elizabeth's joyous validation of her miraculous pregnancy. Elizabeth was a religious woman and very tuned-in to the will of God. This Christmas I am so thankful for those in my life that have their dial turned to God's station and give me holy encouragement, despite what the world may think.
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