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Advent 3 - Tuesday
By Pat Lee | December 16, 2008
Tuesday December 16, 2008
Nothing’s Impossible for God
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:39-45
Scripture Verse: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the child leaped in her womb” Luke 1:41
We don’t detract from Mary’s courageous acceptance of her role in bearing God’s Son if we give honest weight to her questions and uncertainties. In Luke 1 we are told that when the angel appeared, “she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of a greeting this might be.” (vs.29) When the angel Gabriel told her she would conceive and bear Jesus, she protested, “How can this be since I am a virgin?” (vs.34) Her concerns are to her credit and only clarify the magnitude of her faith.
Because of her honest concerns, the angel told Mary that her relative Elizabeth, long past child-bearing years, had conceived a son and was in her sixth month. Thus John the Baptist began preparing the way for the coming of Jesus—his presence even before his birth served as a sign to Mary, “For nothing is impossible with God.” (vs. 37)
After her vision, “Mary set out and went with haste to the Judean town in the hill country where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth” (vs. 39). There was Elizabeth pregnant with her baby John—evidence that what the angel had promised would come true for Mary also.
Verses 39-56 describe the encounter between the two women. The child “leaped for joy” in Elizabeth’s womb, Elizabeth blessed Mary for believing. Mary’s “magnificent” response follows (vv 46-55) And Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months. Sometimes the best boost for our faith is to sit back and let the wonderment of God’s doing soak in.
Prayer: Loving God, as did Mary, our souls magnify you and rejoice in your gist to us of our Saviour. Amen
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