Mary and Elizabeth

Luke 1:26-56 (New ILiving Translation)

26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29Confused 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! 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.32He 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. 33And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35The 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. 36What’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. 37For the word of God will never fail.”

38Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town40where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

46Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,

and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

49For the Mighty One is holy,

and he has done great things for me.

50He shows mercy from generation to generation

to all who fear him.

51His mighty arm has done tremendous things!

He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.

52He has brought down princes from their thrones

and exalted the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away with empty hands.

54He has helped his servant Israel

and remembered to be merciful.

55For he made this promise to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his children forever.”

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

What gives you joy in your life ?

A young umarried girl who became pregnant risked disaster. Unless the father of the child agreed to marry her, she could be forced into begging or prostitution in order to earn her living. And Mary, with her story about being made pregnant by the Holy Spirit, risked being considered crazy as well. Still Mary said, despite the possible risks, "May everything you have said come true." When Mary said that, she didn't know about the tremendous opportunity she would have. She only knew that God was asking her to serve Him, and she willingly obeyed. Don't wait to see the bottom line before offering your life to God. Offer yourself willingly to God.