ELIZABETH

Recently I have been considering the lives of a few women in the Bible. Their lives are representative of the realities we have all faced, or will face in our own lives.  How comforting that God would allow us to learn from their experiences – mistakes and all.

So, just for fun and review, I wanted to remember and retrace the issues I discovered as I travelled alongside some of the women in the New Testament.  It is precious that God displayed the joys, sorrows, and doubts on a canvas so that we could appreciate their beauty, and learn to trust God.

I’m often reminded that God’s word isn’t designed for us to “do” Bible study – you know – simply gathering all the facts and fill in the blank on a page.  Rather, God wants us to “be” more like Christ.

God isn’t impressed in how many studies we do in our life.  Instead, what concerns Him is how have the studies “done us”…or changed us?  That’s the real issue isn’t it!  I am glad that the Bible is not being added to with the stories of my life.

We start our journey with Elizabeth – the cousin of Jesus’ mother Mary.  Elizabeth was well-along in her years, and had privately suffered the fact that she was barren.

One day, while Zechariah was going about his normal priestly duties before God, he was visited by the angel Gabriel.  God spoke to Zechariah through this divinely appointed angel. Talk about a “divine appointment.”

This was no normal occurrence.  As the angel spoke, Zach was stunned at the news.  Who wouldn’t be … after all he was too old, and not exactly ready for a baby announcement.  His inner thoughts tumbled out: “how can this be?”

Zach was of the opinion “this couldn’t happen, not to us at this stage of life.”  In reality, he could not believe that even God could pull this off.

Zechariah’s unbelief resulted in the following declaration by Gabriel:  Scripture – Luke 1:20

”But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born.  For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

Let’s not be too hard on Zechariah.  What if we were twenty or more years past child-bearing and Gabriel appeared to us in our quiet time to give us this same astonishing news.  Man or not, that’s a long time to not be able to speak, and I am sure he had lots to say and not enough paper to write on.

However, this astonishing news was wonderfully received and believed by Elizabeth.  Her personal walk with God was responsive and intimate, and she was overjoyed.  She had learned through her life experiences that God could be trusted…even if it seemed impossible.

This humble woman accepted ‘God’s word and God’s will’ on the matter.  No doubt she had prayed for years for the barrenness to be removed.  Perhaps as the years gathered, she had received the “grace to accept” God’s gentle “no”.

The Scriptures tell us she remained in seclusion for five months.  No doubt she needed the rest and composure at her older age to prepare her body, heart, home and hubby for their forthcoming new addition.

Then another delightful surprise appeared on the scene.  Mary, her cousin, walked a great distance to see Elizabeth and share some of her “own news.”  There’s no doubt that “this visit was orchestrated” by God for many reasons.  In fact, both Mary and Elizabeth were “gifted with a child.”

In our current culture it’s the expectant mother who can be so thrilled with the upcoming event in her own life, that she’s the first to announce:  “Guess what?  I’m having a baby!

But here as Elizabeth invites Mary into her home, the opposite takes place.  Upon hearing Mary’s greeting in her arrival, Elizabeth did not blurt out “I’m having a baby too!” In fact there was no mention of “her news.”  However, something miraculous did happen.

I never saw this in the Scripture until this moment; but here it is recorded that baby John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb as Mary arrived.   This little one didn’t just turn over with a little movement in the womb.  He leaped!  He leaped with JOY.  Talk about a “happy dance in the womb,” this was it.   John began his life’s mission in his mother’s womb.  Talk about starting work early!!

Is that incredible or what!!  Mary didn’t even get an opportunity to say, “Hey, have I got a surprise to share with you, Cousin Elizabeth.”  We read in Luke 1:42 where Elizabeth exclaims in a loud voice:  “Blessed are you (Mary) among women, and blessed is the child you will bear.”

How did Elizabeth know Mary was carrying a baby?  Remember, Mary is single, a virgin, and not yet married.

John’s reaction to the Lord’s presence did all the announcing necessary and that would be just the beginning of his purpose in life.

Doesn’t this knock your socks off????!!!!!

Then, if that’s not the top scoop on the cone, here’s Elizabeth’s next recorded comment.  “But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”  There’s no mention of her immense joy over the baby  in her own womb.

Let’s back up just a little.  Remember Gabriel informed Zechariah, and told him of the assignment his son John would have for his life, which was to prepare people for the coming of the Lord.  His life’s mission would be to announce the Lord’s coming.

What is beautiful here is that Elizabeth’s character of humility expressed itself in her joy that her cousin, now cradling the Messiah within her womb, came to visit her.  Isn’t it incredible that, by all that’s revealed in Scripture, that jealousy never raised its ugly head in Elizabeth at the miracle Mary was carrying?

When her baby was born, Elizabeth, together with her friends and relatives, rejoiced at what this new joy would bring – not just to her and Zechariah, but that their son, John, would prepare people for the coming of their Messiah.

God’s presence – in the womb of Mary – came to Elizabeth to bring encouragement and practical help.  His grace was constant, and God used both Mary and Elizabeth’s babies to infuse faith and an expectancy in their mothers, regardless of what people believed was possible or impossible.

There is a lesson here about the Holy Spirit whose task is to lift up and honor the Lord Jesus Christ.   The Holy Spirit always, always lifts up, and glorifies and honors Christ.  When our days are filled with His purpose, our life will lift up, glorify and honor Christ.

The shoe-leather application for our walk, is that our lives are to make GOD LOOK GOOD.   That’s what it means to “bring glory to God.”

Mary and Elizabeth had a variety of similarities, or should I say “impossibilities” to embrace.  And embrace they did.  It is within reason to think that Elizabeth’s life experiences would have been a source of comfort to Mary, and assured her that both were recipients of an “impossibly joy.”  For her part, Mary must have been a tremendous practical help to Elizabeth as well as encouragement.

Here is a precious nugget of truth: We should rejoice in the gifts God sovereignly designs for our friends and family; and that we may graciously understand, without a hint of comparison, what He chooses to give or withholds from us.

Isn’t that exactly what He hungers to do in our lives as well?  He has a plan and purpose for our lives and desires that we “join Him” in “His plans.”  He wants our lives to be of obedience and joy which will point others towards the Savior.

When thinking about both these women, people must have had their own opinions.  Can we imagine that there would have been many who were thrilled for Elizabeth and Zechariah?

Now imagine Zechariah perhaps taking small hops or perhaps even jumping for joy, as an outward expression.  He must have been bursting at the seams at what was coming, but just couldn’t “talk” about it yet.

Undoubtedly there must have been a few who thought that perhaps they were too old to be parents, or why in the world were their blessings arriving now, at this stage of their lives?

Is there a lesson for us in how we’re to behave when others share their “expectant news” with us?

God’s gifts many times aren’t wrapped in the “packaging” we’d embrace, at first.  This was an impossible gift from the “God of the impossible.”

Elizabeth’s disgrace about being barren was about to vanish because God wanted to accomplish the impossible to fulfill His plan and purpose.

In spite of the physical impossibility, her relationship with her Lord had grown strong, healthy, and vibrant so she could believe His words to her even though others were happy to share their opinions.

May their example be fresh and vibrantly lived out in our lives so that our walk with the Lord will serve to be a refreshment to all those God brings along our practical path.  For these principles aren’t just for study, but for putting into the shoe-leather of our own lives.

Peeking back to when Elizabeth was greeting her cousin Mary, one aspect of her attitude that struck me personally was that God had, in fact, come through Mary to visit Elizabeth.

To God, Elizabeth was just as special to God as Mary.  Their individual “divine assignments” were to cradle their little ones who themselves had their own divine assignments.

This tells me that there should be no room in our minds or hearts for the comparison of our life with another.  Our purpose is to be a “complement to others; not a competition.”

Oh that God would infuse more passion into our day-to-day existence where we recognize that He is living and active in our lives with the purpose to bring glory to Himself through “each of us.”

May we express our love to others through doing little things, little assignments, with a BIG heart…for Him.

Scripture – Psalm 37:23

“The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord.  He delights in every detail of their lives.”