on February 16, 2012
Luke 1:56-58 – Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
These three rather seemingly insignificant verses have gained our attention this week as we continue our prayer walk through Luke’s Gospel. It appears that Mary stayed with Elizabeth for her last trimester of pregnancy. We can only imagine the fellowship shared by these two servants of the Lord. No doubt Mary would have been a tremendous help to the elderly Elizabeth during these demanding and critical months leading up to the birth of her child. They are two women united, not only because they are relatives but, because they share in God’s eternal plan and purposes for each of their children – and they savor these moments in time together!
We are not at all surprised to hear that, when it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. After all, isn’t this exactly what the angel of the Lord had told Zechariah? A daughter would have raised all kinds of questions and would create huge distrust of the Almighty! However, now all that remains is to celebrate the God who keeps His word, and to share in the joy of those to whom the He had made this promise. When the announcement had been made that the baby was born, Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives did exactly that – they shared her joy! God had been merciful and granted her heart’s desire, even in her old age! They all knew what this meant to her, and they all recognized that this was certainly “a God thing!”
Even when we are not the direct recipients of God’s great mercy, it is right that we should rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15). When we sincerely share the joy of those who have received such blessing and consideration from God, then, in some measure, we have a share in the blessing! Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives seized the occasion and added joy to their lives instead of choosing to ignore or avoid celebrating this awesome event with her because of jealousy or some other unkind reason. In His great loving kindness, Jesus also seized the occasion to come and share His joy with us, so that our joy might be made complete (John 15:11). When you see the Lord showing great mercy in someone’s life – SHARE THEIR JOY!
It’s been over 2,000 years since Elizabeth’s relatives and neighbors shared her joy. Aren’t you glad that the Lord’s plans included blessing her with a son who would be the forerunner of the Savior? All these generations later we can realize the mercy of God and benefit from her joy. What an awesome plan! What an awesome God! SHARE THE JOY!
Thursday:
- Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
- Join our 6:00pm Thursday night prayer team.
Friday:
- Glorify the Lord and rejoice in the God of our salvation.
- Pray for the Good News families of the week: John & Christine Fargo (Giovanni, Isabelle, Claire), David & Sarah George (Nathanael, Rachael), Matthew & Megan George (Nicole).
Saturday:
- Praise God for His plan and His mercy extended to make our joy complete!
Sunday:
- Worship the God who brings us joy and thank Him for all His kindness.
Monday:
- Take notice of times and events in which others experience the grand mercy and grace of God, then share their joy!
- Attend “In Touch” Prayer meeting at GNCC at 10:30am or join in prayer at that time.
Tuesday:
- Praise God for the joyful gift of children and the plan He has for each of their lives!
Wednesday:
- Rejoice with those who rejoice!
Prayer Challenge: Glorify God for creating us with the capacity for joy. Give thanks for the many opportunities in life to celebrate and share in the joy of others. Worship God for sending the Lord Jesus Christ so that His joy may be in us and that our joy may be made complete. Pray that you may truly share the joy of Christ with others this week as you celebrate His mercy and love.