Weekly Devotion no 62
3 December 2021
Bible reading – Luke 1:39-45[1]
39 At that time Mary
got ready and hurried to a town in Judea’s hill country. 40 There she entered
Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard
Mary’s greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the
Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she called out, “God
has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! 43 But why is God so kind to
me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard the
sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. 45 You are a woman God has
blessed. You have believed that the Lord would keep his promises to you!”
Reflection
In today’s reading, Mary had just been visited by the angel Gabriel and told that she would become pregnant with the Son of God.
It seems that as soon as Mary was given the news of her pregnancy by the angel Gabriel (who also told her about her relative Elizabeth’s miracle pregnancy), she left her home in Nazareth to go into the countryside to see her relative. Did she want to swap angel stories? Was she looking for some support from someone who might understand her experience? Maybe she wanted some advice from her older relative.
Whatever Mary’s motivation for visiting Elizabeth, the two women are clearly pleased to see one another and they spend the next 3 months together, supporting one another in their pregnancies.
But their meeting is even more significant than two relatives forming a mothers’ group. We read that, as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped for joy in her womb. And Elizabeth was given an insight into the identity of Mary’s baby: she calls the baby ‘my Lord’ and recognises that Mary’s baby will be the Messiah.
We often reflect on Mary’s humble obedience, but in this story, Elizabeth’s humility is also evident. Elizabeth knew that God had intervened to enable her pregnancy and that the child she was carrying was special. But through the Holy Spirit, she recognised that Mary’s baby would be even more significant. Rather that guard her own child’s position jealously, she instead celebrates Mary’s child with exultation. She delights and rejoices in Mary’s news, knowing that her own child will play second fiddle to Mary’s.
She does this because she is following the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Instead of acting on what might be her natural instincts, she listens to God and his will and glory are revealed to her.
How attuned are we to
God’s will? Do we listen to him? What a joy it is to see God at work in our
lives and the lives of others. And what a privilege it is to see him in the
life of Jesus, our Lord, whose coming into the world as a baby brought joy and
celebration both then and now.
Hymn
Verse 1
O
come O come Emmanuel
And
ransom captive Israel
That
mourns in lonely exile here
Until
the Son of God appear
Rejoice!
Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall
come to thee O Israel
Verse 2
O
come O come Thou Lord of Might
Who
to Thy tribes on Sinai's height
In
ancient times didst give the law
In
cloud and majesty and awe
Rejoice!
Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall
come to thee O Israel
Verse 3
O
come thou rod of Jesse, free
Thine
own from Satan's tyranny
From
depths of hell Thy people save
And
give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice!
Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel
Verse 4
O
come thou Dayspring come and cheer
Our
spirits by Thine Advent here
Disperse
the gloomy clouds of night
And
death's dark shadows put to flight
Rejoice!
Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall
come to thee O Israel
Verse 5
O
come Thou Key of David, come
And
open wide our heavenly home
Make
safe the way that leads on high
And
close the path to misery
Rejoice!
Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall
come to thee O Israel
J M Neale © 1851 Public Domain CCLI:69198
Prayer
Eternal God,
through long generations you prepared a way
for the coming of your Son,
and by your Spirit you still bring light to illumine our paths
renew us in faith and hope
that we may welcome Christ to rule our thoughts
and claim our love;
to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
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