Two Faithful Women - December 13

In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”

Luke 1:39-45 (CSB)

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Mary and Elizabeth were two women full of faith who wanted to glorify God with their lives. They both endured years of shame without knowing how God planned to redeem their lives and bless them in the end.

Elizabeth endured the shame of barrenness for at least thirty years. In addition to the shame, imagine how heartbroken she must have felt as she listened to other women talk about their children and grandchildren. Elizabeth was eventually beyond hope of ever having a child. Then God intervened.

Mary's shame was the opposite. Pregnant before her marriage was finalized brought shame. Joseph was included in her shame when they continued their engagement despite the pregnancy. Later, in what must have seemed like a tragic end to God's promise, Mary was devastated to see her son die a criminal's death on a cross. How could that possibly be part of God's plan? Only after more than thirty years, when Jesus rose from death on the third day, did she see the joyful fruit of all her pain.

Yet, now both women are pregnant and well aware that their sons are gifts from God to themselves and to their nation. They are totally caught up in the wonder of what God is doing in their lives and how that will affect their world. So despite what other people may think, they are joyful and praise the God who does a great work through the most humble and faithful of his people.

Let us check our own hearts this Christmas. Do we remember that our lives are a part of a bigger story that God has planned from eternity? Are we willing to trust God even when we don't know the whole story? Are we also humble and faithful servants who are willing to endure pain as well as joy for God's glory?

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Holy God, I praise you because you are sovereign and faithful; you know the end from the beginning so that you work everything for good. Thank you for including me in the wonderful plans you are working out for your people. Please help me to be a humble servant who lives faithfully in your will, whatever that may require of me. All for God's glory! Amen

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Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

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