Luke 1:41
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.
In our verse today, we see two women who shared unique, God-given experiences. Both were visited by an angel to announce the miraculous birth of their children. Both were unable to bear children without divine intervention. Both received promises about their children’s futures. It’s no wonder they’re found here praising God together, rejoicing in His faithfulness and enjoying the fellowship they shared. Those three months must have been some of the most blessed days of their lives—thanking God, praying, and experiencing a Holy Ghost revival in the house of Zacharias.
Sometimes, God gives us someone to serve Him with. Think of Moses and Aaron, David and Jonathan, Joshua and Zerubbabel; likewise, Jesus and John. While Jesus and John never spent much time together, their ministries were closely connected by the providence of God. Mary and Elisabeth shared this sort of camaraderie. Mary, an outcast due to supposed infidelity, needed someone to believe her story and rejoice in the coming King. She found this in her older cousin, Elisabeth. I believe God has someone for each of us to serve alongside as well. Are we nurturing these relationships, or are we letting them pass us by? Imagine the joy, strength, and fellowship Mary would have missed if she hadn’t visited Elisabeth and likewise the blessing that Elisabeth would have missed out on. So often, we miss out on blessings others and being blessed ourselves simply because we forsake fellowship. Remember Thomas, who missed the Lord’s appearance? By missing fellowship with the others, he spent an extra week in doubt and fear instead of peace.
When Mary greeted Elisabeth, the Bible says John leaped in Elisabeth’s womb, and she was filled with the Holy Ghost. I’m reminded of times I’ve shared with brothers and sisters in Christ, exchanging testimonies of what God is doing in our lives. Something leaps inside of me, and soon we’re both praising God together! Do you have anyone in your life like this? A friend, brother, or sister whose words lift your heart to worship the Lord? If so, keep them close and speak with them often. Too many conversations drift into gossip, fear, or negativity, leaving us in wantonness rather than worship. But today’s verse encourages us to be the kind of people, like Mary and Elisabeth, whose conversations lift others toward praise instead of pettiness, faith instead of fear, joy instead of misery.
The strength, joy, or fellowship you need today may come through the greeting of a brother or sister. So, don’t just seek out those who lift you up—seek to be that kind of friend in return.
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