I'll admit it. I'm cheating at my own weekly bits. For weeks now, I've been trying to decide what to write about for Christmas this year, and I'm not closer to an idea now than I was in September.
But it just so happens that two years ago, I wrote five little articles for our church's "Twelve Days of Christmas" devotion book. So via the magic of copy and paste...I will spend December sharing those with you. That gives me a whole year to think of a theme for December 2008...
By the way...the theme for the book was "Behold the Light." Each day focused on a person and the light that shone from his or her life.
Elizabeth: The Light of Joy and Belief
Luke 1:39-55
How many years had Elizabeth waited to become a mother? How many times had she stood among the women of the city and watched as another one announced that she was expecting a little baby. How many times had she smiled and hugged and congratulated the glowing ladies who were her friends and neighbors…and then cried in the solitude of her own bedroom because she could not experience that joy for herself?
But her time had come. Though she was older and her friends were enjoying grandchildren, her time had come at last. She wanted to rush out and share her good news, but for five long months, she stayed home (Luke 1:24 ). She rested and prepared and rejoiced. And at the end of five months, she emerged from her home, ready at last to share her good news with everyone around her.
It was then that Mary arrived. When Elizabeth saw her coming down the road, she probably rushed to the door, eager to share with her own family the good news of her upcoming baby. But Mary spoke first and when she greeted Elizabeth , the baby inside Elizabeth moved. Was it the first time she had felt the life within her? The moment she had waited years and years to experience?
And in that moment, Elizabeth knew. Knew that Mary was carrying a little one, too. And not just any little one. The little one. The promised Messiah. So many thoughts could have rushed through her mind. No! It’s not fair! This is my moment. You are young. You aren’t even married yet. This is my time. I felt my baby move. There is life in me, and I don’t want you to take this away from me. You can have your turn later.
But no. Elizabeth was filled with joy. She blessed Mary. She said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke 1:42-45).
And together the two women shared – though of different generations – sharing together in the wonder of life growing within them. And of Life that would grow in the world because of the children they would bear. Unlike her husband, Elizabeth did not doubt for one minute that the baby within her was God’s plan and that the Baby within Mary was God’s son. She believed and shared a beautiful time with Mary – time filled with joy.
She could have been envious. But she chose joy. And because she did, she enjoyed the company of Mary for the rest of her pregnancy – and together they prepared for the lives that came into the world to change our lives.
But it just so happens that two years ago, I wrote five little articles for our church's "Twelve Days of Christmas" devotion book. So via the magic of copy and paste...I will spend December sharing those with you. That gives me a whole year to think of a theme for December 2008...
By the way...the theme for the book was "Behold the Light." Each day focused on a person and the light that shone from his or her life.
Elizabeth: The Light of Joy and Belief
Luke 1:39-55
How many years had Elizabeth waited to become a mother? How many times had she stood among the women of the city and watched as another one announced that she was expecting a little baby. How many times had she smiled and hugged and congratulated the glowing ladies who were her friends and neighbors…and then cried in the solitude of her own bedroom because she could not experience that joy for herself?
But her time had come. Though she was older and her friends were enjoying grandchildren, her time had come at last. She wanted to rush out and share her good news, but for five long months, she stayed home (Luke 1:24 ). She rested and prepared and rejoiced. And at the end of five months, she emerged from her home, ready at last to share her good news with everyone around her.
It was then that Mary arrived. When Elizabeth saw her coming down the road, she probably rushed to the door, eager to share with her own family the good news of her upcoming baby. But Mary spoke first and when she greeted Elizabeth , the baby inside Elizabeth moved. Was it the first time she had felt the life within her? The moment she had waited years and years to experience?
And in that moment, Elizabeth knew. Knew that Mary was carrying a little one, too. And not just any little one. The little one. The promised Messiah. So many thoughts could have rushed through her mind. No! It’s not fair! This is my moment. You are young. You aren’t even married yet. This is my time. I felt my baby move. There is life in me, and I don’t want you to take this away from me. You can have your turn later.
But no. Elizabeth was filled with joy. She blessed Mary. She said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke 1:42-45).
And together the two women shared – though of different generations – sharing together in the wonder of life growing within them. And of Life that would grow in the world because of the children they would bear. Unlike her husband, Elizabeth did not doubt for one minute that the baby within her was God’s plan and that the Baby within Mary was God’s son. She believed and shared a beautiful time with Mary – time filled with joy.
She could have been envious. But she chose joy. And because she did, she enjoyed the company of Mary for the rest of her pregnancy – and together they prepared for the lives that came into the world to change our lives.
5 comments:
What a great post, thanks for sharing it with us.
Janice - you are very welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
This is wonderful!
Tina - thanks so much! I kind of gulped when I re-read it. Probably could have stood to take the advice of my own words this year when there were some Mary's around me.
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