BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN [LUKE 1:39-56]
VISITATION OF MARY
Mary packed her things and hurried off to see her cousin, Elizabeth. She went to help Elizabeth prepare for the birth of her baby, and she probably wanted to ask her for advice in facing her own miraculous pregnancy. When Mary arrived, she greeted Elizabeth with the traditional embrace, but Elizabeth responded in a most non-traditional manner. The baby in her womb jumped, as if for joy, and Elizabeth proclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42).
Somehow, Elizabeth knew what had happened to Mary. Maybe she had heard through the grapevine, or through a letter from Mary herself. She many have even heard about Mary’s amazing encounter with the angel. But Elizabeth’s “knowledge” about Mary’s situation went beyond simply learning the facts. Luke tells us that when she heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” and cried aloud these now-familiar words of blessing (Luke 1:41-42). Knowing about an event intellectually and knowing it bay the power of the Holy Spirit are two different, but related things.
The story shows how God longs to reveal Himself and His plan to His people. Our ability to understand biblical truths and moral principles is one important gift from God, but this is only part of our heritage. We are also capable of receiving spiritual revelation and enlightenment from God about these truths and principles.
Saint Paul told the Corinthians that God wanted to reveal to them His secret wisdom, things that “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). He also prayed for the Ephesians that God would enlighten the eyes of their hearts so that they could perceive the inheritance that is theirs in Christ (Ephesians 1:18). Likewise, God wants to speak to us. He wants to tell us how much He loves us. He wants to reveal to us His glorious plan of salvation to us His glorious plan of salvation and our part in that plan. Let us God to enlighten us today so that we might know Him in our hearts and so that we might embrace His glorious plan more fully.
Jakarta, 31 May 2014
A Christian Pilgrim
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