Tag: Mary

You Can Be Special to Someone This Week!

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Our story continues with Mary quickly traveling to the hill country after her encounter with the angel Gabriel to stay with Elizabeth and Zechariah. Luke 1:39-45

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

I love this homey scene with the cousins embracing the mission God has given to each of them and encouraging one another. Elizabeth was much older than Mary, perhaps more like a grandmother by age. Her wisdom and joy in greeting Mary is apparent. She knows the child Mary is to bare is to be God’s child and her own child jumps in recognition of the spirit within Mary’s womb. Elizabeth acknowledges Mary place in God’s plan and what a favored relationship that will be. She also acknowledged as fact the blessing that comes through faith. I’m sure her wisdom and joy was an encouragement to young Mary.

What do we learn about God from this family scene? God desires that we be encouraged in our walk with Him. He places special people in our lives that will help us grow in our faith. God orchestrates events and people so that we are supported in our times of need. Mary needed the support of Elizabeth and Zachariah- their wisdom and faith as she prepared for her life as Josephs’ wife and Jesus’ mother. God also blesses us because of our faith in Him. His grace is beyond measure and open to all who believe.

Who do you have in your life right now that you can support and encourage? Perhaps you are a mentor or a friend that can lend support to someone spiritually, monetarily, physically or emotionally. I see Mary receiving all those from Elizabeth and Zachariah. Can you be that support for someone this week?

Linda

Mary, a Look at God’s Plan

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The angel’s visit to Mary reveals significant things about God’s plan to reconcile mankind to Himself. Let’s look at the passage in Luke 1:26-38 again.

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.” 38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

What do we learn of God’s plan? *God’s Son will be miraculously born of Mary a young unwed Jewish woman. *Jesus would be his name and he would be born to Jewish parents (Mary and Joseph) in the line of David. *Jesus is God’s son and will be given the throne of David, by God, to reign forever as his kingdom will never end. *The baby will be a holy child (sinless).

God shows his unique ability to cut into human history by bringing His Son into the world in a human way but also making him divine. Only God is holy so this child is His in nature- pure, undefiled by sin. But he is also human as he lived and died on earth. It is an incomprehensible plan by human standards but Sovereign God can and did accomplish it. I pray that the magnitude of God’s sacrifice at giving up His only son for this mission to reconcile you and me will seep into your heart and soul this season. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus. John 3:16 says it perfectly,  “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” It is a plan filled with love, hope and giving. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for what God did in sending Jesus.

Linda

Mary, Looking to God

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We will leave Zachariah and Elizabeth for a bit and turn our attention to Mary. Mary was a young woman who was pledged to marry a Jewish man named Joseph. Like Zachariah, Mary was visited by an angel with a specific message for her. Here is the first part of her story, Luke 1:26-33.

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary was visited by the archangel named Gabriel, the same angel who had spoken to Zachariah. We are given times and places where this event occurred. In the sixth month refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Jesus and John were to be close in age. The place Nazareth was located in the region of Galilee and where Mary and Joseph resided. Joseph, her betrothed, was in the line of David which was very important as Messiah was to come from the line of David. Actually both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David. After greeting Mary, the angel first addresses her fear and proclaims she is favored by God. What an amazing message the angel gives to this young unwed girl. She was to have a child, but she was not married and had not known any man. She was perplexed about this but asks her questions of the angel with showing doubt towards God. The encounter continues in Luke 1:34-38

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary does not doubt God’s ability to perform this miracle within her and radiates confidence and hope in her response. She is humble and obedient towards God.

What do we learn about God in this encounter? God shows himself and his power through the angel Gabriel. He appeared to her personally and reassured her that all would be well with her. When given momentous tasks to perform, God attends to the details and gives us reassurances that it will succeed. Maybe it is a complement from a coworker, an unexpected gift or money to see the job done, support from a friend, prayers directed to uplift you by other believers, peace in your mind or heart or an encouraging passage from His Word to motivate you. God uses all those around us to do His bidding and support us. Here he used the miraculous and given the mission, it is an encounters that will last a lifetime. God know exactly what Mary needed to reassure her, and He knows what you need. We just have to be open to His encouragements and looking for them expectantly. God was a personal God to Mary and is personal to you and me. He cares about each of us. Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:7 that God encourages us to give Him our anxieties and worries because He cares about us. “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Good words for Mary as she was told to trust God and good words for us today.

Linda

Jesus shows Sovereignty over….

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John Chapter 2 opens with Jesus, his disciples and his mother Mary in attendance at a local wedding. Weddings typically lasted multiple days as relatives and friends celebrated with the new couple. For whatever reason, the bride’s family was running short of wine. This would have been a major source of embarrassment for the family. Here is the scene as Jesus’ mother, Mary, comes to him seeking a solution.

John 2:1-10 “On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

Mary sought Jesus’ help in a difficult situation and knew he had an answer as she directed the servants to follow his orders. She knew that she could come to Jesus with her problems and that he would help in some way. She believed in him and his ability to change things for the better. Jesus simply gave orders to fill the jugs with water. The master of the banquet tasted the water and realized it was great wine. He questioned the bridegroom about saving such wonderful wine until so many of the guests had over indulged. Isn’t that just like Jesus to provide the very best and give it freely? The only ones who knew about it were the servants and the disciples. Mary had left the job to Jesus. Jesus protected the ‘timing’ of his revealing himself and still solved the problem.

Jesus showed his sovereignty over natural things by changing the water into fine wine. Here are the results according to verse 11 “ What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” Jesus’ solutions always glorify him and produce faith. His new disciples needed to experience him in action to solidify their new budding faith.

What has Jesus done for you to confirm your faith? Has He spoken to you though His Holy Spirit, given you a vision, a dream, a miracle or a friend to verify and confirm your faith? Each one of us is unique and God will confirm for all of us that we belong to Him! Romans 8:16 puts it this way “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Be open and willing to listen for His confirmation. God is faithful and will confirm for each of us that we belong to Him.

Linda

Be a Proclaimer, like John

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John begins his gospel with preexistent Jesus, creator God, Savior of mankind. Next, he tells us about a man named John who would come before the Messiah. We know this John as John the Baptist as he was the one who baptized people with water and called them to repentance. He was the forerunner of Jesus, or one who prepares the way. God had been preparing the Jews to receive their Messiah all throughout the Old Testament. As we saw in our study of Isaiah time and time again the prophets spoke of this savior that would come to redeem all mankind.

John 1:6-8, 15 ” There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) The Jews of John’s day knew of the John the Baptist and so do we as his story is written in Luke 1. An angel appeared to his father Zechariah while he was on duty in the temple. He told him that his wife would become pregnant in her old age and she would bear a son. His son would be filled with the Holy Spirit and was to go before the coming Messiah preaching repentance. Zechariah questioned the angel about this being possible in a disbelieving way, and he was unable to talk until John was born and named. John was actually related to Jesus as their mother’s were related and he sensed the arrival of Mary to Elizabeth and Zechariah’s home when he leapt in his mother womb. Luke 1:44

I love Zechariah’s Song in Luke 1 where Zechariah praises God, with his returned voice, for His faithfulness to His people in sending the coming Messiah and for His own son who would play a role in these events. Luke 1:76-79 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

John’s birth and ministry shows God’s planning, fore thought and preparation for the arrival of His Son. The gospel writers wanted us to know that this did not happen by chance and that God ordered all parts of Jesus’ arrival, baptism and ministry to come.

As we ponder John and his calling, we can ask ourselves- what work does God have for me to do? How has He asked me to step out for Him? We are all called to tell others about Jesus and use the gifts He has given to us to glorify Him. We can all be proclaimer’s of Jesus just like John. Be assured that when God calls He also promises to equip us to do His work. He prepared John and equipped him to proclaim his Son’s coming. He will do the same for us. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God has given us His Word so we can be ready for anything, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

May you have a week filled with opportunities to proclaim Jesus to those around you.

Linda

Immanuel, God with Us!

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We learned that in Isaiah 7 the enemies of Judah were marching towards Jerusalem. Isaiah had prophesied before King Ahaz that the enemy would not be victorious. They were to stand firm in faith and believe and trust God for this victory. Isaiah then told Ahaz to ask God for a confirmation sign. Ahaz refused to ask God saying he did not want to test God. Isaiah chastized Ahaz for not wanting a word of prophecy from the Lord. This prophesy was meant to convince Ahaz that God could indeed rescue him from his enemies and to grow his faith. The prophesy is one of the major prophesies about Jesus and what would happen to Ahaz and Judah in their near future. Isaiah 7:14-17

14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 

This prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled in Matthew 1:20-23 which was given to Joseph.

 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

I was also fulfilled in Luke 1:26-31 which was given to Mary:

 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.“

Scripture records the actual birth of Mary’s baby in Luke 2: 4-7 in the ‘Christmas Story’.

 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Isaiah’s prophecy contained both events near to their present time and one that would not occur for another 600 years! Prophecy is often given this way and time alone helps us to discern what is close and what is far away. However, whether it is near or far, all of it is absolutely true. Here is the remainder of the prophecy from verses 15-17 that tell of the coming destruction of the land by Israel’s enemies. This destruction of the kings mentioned was also foretold in Amos 1:3-5 and Jeramiah 7:15.

15 By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt and honey. 16 For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted. 17 “Then the Lord will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!”

The prophecy that Isaiah gave from God about the coming Messiah was to bring hope to all Israelites. It was show that there would be a miraculous coming of ‘God with us’. This child would be a miracle of birth sent by God. Since the only God with us the Israelites were familiar with was God’s indwelling of the temple and the tabernacle before that, this would have been a gigantic revelation. It was to change the course of human history. Never before had God dwelt with his believers in bodily form. Ahaz did not want a sign from God but the sign God gave was definitely one we would not want to turn down. It was a sign that would change the course of history.

As I close this section of prophecy from Isaiah, I am blessed by God’s words of hope and deliverance that Messiah would bring. On this side of the cross, we see the effect Jesus had on humanity and how he was indeed God with us! My faith is strengthened in that God knew what his plan was to save all mankind through Jesus the Son and he gave us this prophecy to help us see that He is indeed Sovereign and Omniscient. He is the one that has a plan that will not be thwarted by the events of any age and His will will prevail. I pray that seeing the prophecy fulfilled from verse 14 increases your faith.

One other thought, Ahaz did not want a word from God for whatever reason. I can’t imagine anyone would not want to hear something from God. I had to ask myself though, am I listening to God and hearing His messages to me? Do I welcome His revelations? Do I treat God’s Word with reverence and respect? When I study and read God’s Word, am I looking for His messages to me? His whole book is a love story to me and for me, do I see that? May you look with fresh eyes as you read and study His Word during this Lenten Season.

Meditating on verse 14, may you welcome Jesus into your life today and let Him be ‘God with you’. You will be blessed.

Linda

How are you affected by Jesus?

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What affect does the Savior have upon you? In our passage today we see the shepherd’s encounter with the baby Jesus and his parents.  After the news from the angels, they went immediately to find the child. They did not stop to consider it was nighttime, their sheep, the distance, or their weariness from the day. The only thing that mattered was finding the babe. Are you seeker of Christ who puts finding Him first each day? I’m sure they were curious but more than curiosity would have been the desire to see this child from God. They were eager to see their Savior first hand. Are you curious about Jesus, His Word and are you eager to pursue Him? The thought of seeing the Savior who would bring peace into their lives gave them energy and motivation to seek Him out. Are you ardently seeking Jesus for the peace only He can provide? They even knew where to look and what they would see. A manger would mean a stable of some kind and He would be with his parents, wrapped up in cloths lying in the manger. Being familiar with the area, it did not take long for them to locate Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. Are you familiar with Jesus and know where to find Him? Do you open your Bible regularly to learn about Him? Here is our passage-see their eagerness, curiosity and amazement.

Luke 2:16-20 “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

After seeing Jesus, how were they affected? They were amazed!! They wanted to tell others! Their joy could not be contained and they wanted to praise and glorify God. What about you? How are you affected by Jesus? Do you want to tell others about your Savior? Are you amazed at His love and compassion, His mercy and forgiveness? Does it make you want to sing praises and glorify God?

I pray that this Christmas season you encounter the living Jesus and have a reaction similar to the shepherds. We all need to be amazed, curious, eager and desirous of telling others while praising and glorifying God. May it be so with you.

Linda

Who can you help? Mary is our example

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Advent is a time when we need to show our faith to others and then tell them about Jesus by our actions. It is the perfect time for churches, religious groups and civic organizations help those in need due to poverty, hunger, unemployment and come alongside those who are suffering from broken relationships. Christians seek to show the love of Christ to others with deeds and not just with words. This year, 2022, has been particularly difficult as our nation has struggled to come out from under the global pandemic that has hit us hard economically, physically and mentally. The conditions have improved over 2021, but there are still a great number of people who are sick, out of work or lonely. I have an 80 year old friend that faithfully works at her church’s food bank sorting and filling bags of food for the hungry. Hunger and shortages still exist. Many of those seeking help have never had to ask before as they had always been self-sufficiently employed.

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One verse in our Christmas story brought this to mind. Luke 1:56 speaks of Mary staying with Elizabeth for about 3 months then going home to Nazareth. “Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.” Scripture said that the angel appeared to Mary when Elizabeth was in her sixth month, “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,” Luke 1:26 Doing the math, it would seem that young Mary who was only just pregnant came to visit Elizabeth when Elizabeth was six months along. She stayed with Elizabeth in the last months of her pregnancy before John was born, when Zechariah was not able to talk (Luke 1:20), and she was probably a great comfort and blessing to this aged mother and father to be. We are not told in scripture that Mary was present when John was born, but I would imagine Mary stayed until John was born and then returned home. By helping Elizabeth and Zechariah, Mary was also blessed and comforted as she shared this time with them.

In this one verse God shows us how we are to be supportive of each other and stay the distance. My friend could go and help out occasionally at the food bank but she has made it a priority to give of herself 3 days a week. Many I know, prior to Covid, went regularly to nursing homes to share, sing and pray with residents or visit those in hospitals. Another friend had a brother that had a severe accident and the family ministered to him and nursed him back to health after being released from the hospital. Ministering to those in need shows godly character as we give, are compassionate, merciful and kind. It also opens the door for us to speak of our motivation for doing acts of kindness, Jesus.

As we seek to cope with our own fears after this pandemic, try to find a way to meet someone’s needs this week. It could be a phone call, text, card or letter to a friend you know is lonely or sick. Maybe you can make cookies or bread to leave on their doorstep. Know that things done serving others motivated by our love for Jesus pleases God. Jesus told us in John 13:34-35 ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Let the world see your love for Jesus through your actions of service towards one another this season and into the New Year.

Linda

Could You Write a Magnificat about God’s Blessings to YOU?

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Today’s scripture is one of my favorites. It is know as the ‘Magnificat’ and it is Mary’s response to the Lord and His work within her. It is beautiful and shows her servant heart.

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.” Luke 1:46-55

Mary starts with her praise to the Lord for what He has done within her. She seeks to glorify God with her words of praise and to acknowledge the enormous blessings He has brought and will continue to bring into her life through the coming child. Then she begins proclaiming the goodness of the Lord as experienced through the ages by her people. He has done mighty deeds and yet held the proud and arrogant ones accountable from the smallest to the highest among them. God has shown compassion by keeping them fed and has helped them even when underserving Israel had strayed. She is thankful for God’s mercies and His promises to Abraham and his descendants. Mary proclaims her God, the God of Israel, is faithful from generation to generation.

Can you echo Mary’s words in your own life?

What is God doing in your life right now that creates in you an attitude of praise? Are you seeing His work within you as you speak to others, seek to help, or show kindness and gentleness to others? God is at work in you in the small things- look for them. How have you seen God’s mercy in the past? Mercy is not giving you what you really deserve. Has He allowed you to work, serve or be in friendships that really should not have been? But God allowed it and brought you blessings because of it. Has God humbled you and helped you change your arrogant attitude towards someone or something? When has God fed you either spiritually or physically that was unexpected? What promises has God faithfully completed in your life? As you ponder these questions consider your blessings. Think about how God has intervened in your life and the transformation it has brought.

Each of us could write a ‘Magnificat’ of our own. God has blessed us with salvation, eternal life, hope, security, a place in heaven, a character that is to reflect Jesus by His indwelling Holy Spirit. His character gives us generosity, kindness, gentleness, self-control, patience, joy, peace…. Like Mary you and I have answers from God that apply to our lives specifically. There is so much to be thankful and praise God for.. do it today!

Linda

Shared Joy!

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When was the last time you shared a joyous moment with a friend or relative? I hope it has not been too long as those are moments to be cherished. My sister and brother-in-law just celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary! At dinner, we asked them to share their favorite trips, funny stories about their children, things growing up that impacted them, etc. It was a wonderful time of sharing. In today’s verses we see the joyous reunion of Elizabeth and Mary as they meet for the first time since they both were visited by the Holy Spirit’s power in a special way. Elizabeth in now 6 months into her pregnancy and Mary’s has just begun. We see Elizabeth’s joy at realizing her baby recognizes the mother of the Lord. This causes Elizabeth to be filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaim the coming of the Lord.

 “At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:39-45

One of the things I cherish about this encounter is that it shows normal people engaging each other in normal ways. What is unusual about this encounter is the intervention of the Holy Spirit in their midst. We engage with people all the time, but have you stopped to think that you being indwelt by the Holy Spirit through your faith in Jesus bring the Holy Spirit with you into each encounter. As with Elizabeth and Mary, we need to let the joy of the Lord be with us in conversations and actions as we meet and greet others in our daily lives. God’s power within us has the power to effect and influence others for His good.

What words of praise do you give out? Ours will not be words of prophesy but can give life changing words of encouragement and hope. God has us where we are for His purpose, and we need to take opportunities to speak of Him as often as we can. You can speak words of hope by being a friend, listening with an open mind and heart, praying for the other person even as you speak with them. Look for the God opportunities today and share your joy!

Linda