Elizabeth Reigns Luke 1:39-43

“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed, ‘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?’” (Luke 1:39-43) NIV

Random Thoughts:

We may often feel that we are on a blind mission for God, doing some work He has asked us to do but without seeing how all the pieces fit or what the finished work will look like. But while seeing the final product may be our frustrated desire, God does not leave us alone to wander in the dark. 

God, understanding our needs so well, often provides a partner (or two! or three!) to share in our life’s experience, one with human hands, heart and voice to shore us up and share the load. Like His provision of Eve for Adam, God knows it isn’t good for us to be alone. Elizabeth could not have been more perfectly suited to understand Mary’s miracle pregnancy. 

I love too that Elizabeth’s enthusiasm is so plain to see. Filled with the Holy Spirit, she excitedly and openly rejoices to see Mary, knowing that her young cousin is carrying God’s long-promised gift. In Elizabeth God provides Mary both an empathetic and affirming partner, attributes she would have greatly needed given the circumstances.

Question:

What “Elizabeth” is God providing to help support you in your purpose? Or is He asking you to be an “Elizabeth” to help support another’s journey or task? 

Journal Response:

Thankfully, “Elizabeths” are not only found in remote villages in ancient Israel but in modern day coffee shops where today I met one of mine. But it wasn’t easy. I have long struggled with an area of hurt in my life I assumed was there to stay until God began to assure me that there is always hope for change. But I would need help. I hated that part.

It’s hard to confess an area of need or shame--especially when we think we are alone in our suffering.  Finding that godly “someone” who affirms us in moments we think we’ve lost our minds and counsels us with wisdom (and hopefully humor) from their own experience and biblical insights is a blessing directly from God. Finding such an Elizabeth--at least in my case--started with the simplest prayer, “help me, help me, help me!”. (I’m very eloquent in my times of need).

But whether it’s a day’s journey over desert sands or just jumping in your minivan to feel supported over a cup of coffee, we need to surround ourselves with life lines of God’s provision to keep us accountable and be reassured by such a friend’s wisdom of having “been there, done that.”

Being an Elizabeth for another’s sake, however, can also take us out of our comfort zone. It wasn’t until I was able to mention the loss of my parents or the struggle with parenting children with special needs or to just admit my house is usually marked with peanut butter and jelly finger prints that I could see others around me begin to trust me for help, advice or prayer. 

I will never forget the day I took a deep breath and invited a newly-made friend to cross the thresh hold of my totally ship-wrecked house. Piles of unfolded clothes, unsteady towers of junk mail yet-unsorted, dishes in the sink (I was just about to do those--really!) and my own self yet unshowered. It was an unholy mess. I feared judgement but what I received was trust and the admission that her home secretly looked as lovely. 

Something about owning our own struggles gives others permission to do the same. Today I just admitted to a relatively new friend that my life has taken some unexpected turns. Adult ADD among others. Turns out, so has hers and we began to laugh about our shared “quirks”.  God knows we need Him; He also knows we need one another.