Luke 1:39-45
Verse 45 “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!”
True hope is more than mere wishing for something we hope will happen. It is more about the anticipation of what we know is coming. But knowing what is coming doesn’t mean that we sit and wait for it, there is a part we must play by preparing for what is being hoped for.
Part of our preparing for Christmas has us decorating our houses, baking and shopping but how do we prepare spiritually for this time of advent? Before that first Christmas there was preparing that was hopeful for at least two women. Elizabeth may have been feeling a bit unprepared because she had never been a mother before and Mary was preparing for a marriage and a baby at the same time. There was a moment the two ladies shared which may have gone a long way to help them prepare for the spiritual journey they were both on.
As soon as Mary entered Elizabeth and Zechariah’s house there was an event where the Spirit made Himself known. When the Spirit caused the unborn baby John to leap at the presence of unborn Jesus, Elizabeth’s heart took a step to being more prepared for what was coming. It wasn’t just preparing for her son, it was about preparing for the One her son was to point to. As excited as she was about becoming a mother after all these years, she was more excited about the coming of the long-awaited Messiah.
While some may read these verses and think that Elizabeth was giving praise to Mary, the praise was actually not for the young woman but the One whom she was carrying. Yes, she did tell Mary she was blessed but it wasn’t because of who Mary was but because of the child she was carrying. Elizabeth’s heart was being prepared for what was coming. She may not have lived long enough to know Jesus in His ministry or see His death and know Him after His resurrection, but she was prepared for what God was up to because she knew who Jesus was before He was born. This reaction from Elizabeth would have helped Mary be prepared for the way her Son would be received by God’s true people.
Making It Personal
Are you excited to get to know Jesus more? How are you preparing your heart for Christmas? What steps are you taking to make this Christmas more about Him than you have in the past?
Making It Personal Kids
What is your favorite thing to do to prepare for Christmas? Does the act of preparing give you hope for what is coming? What can you do to prepare to know Jesus better?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for preparing our hearts for Your work in us. Help us find the hope that will give us a greater desire to know You in an ever deepening way. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Comments