Common Joy

In Luke 1 we read of both Elizabeth and Mary. It doesn't take long to notice the common experiences they shared. We also see the joy they share in their precious blessings! How wonderful to reflect together that God was using them as part of His wonderful plan to provide the Savior to the world. We believe there was much mentorship by Elizabeth to Mary during the approximate three months they were together. We will spend some time talking more about this in our future broadcasts. For now, we can see how these women rejoiced together because of the goodness of God. When was the last time that you rejoiced with another woman because of what God has done for you? Let me challenge you today to not only rejoice in your heart for how God is working in your life, but call someone else up and share your joy with her. You might find that she'll also share how God is working in her and then you'll have the opportunity to rejoice together!

Elizabeth's Role

Elizabeth’s role in the plan of God was spectacular! God’s plan for her unfolded just as He wanted. She would be barren in order to make John’s birth only of God. There was no need to convince anyone that it was God who chose Elizabeth to give birth to John. Elizabeth was used by God in that she was the mother of John. Her role in this relationship was to raise John to be a faithful and God-serving man. Her life of faithfulness and obedience would have been passed down to him. She was to lead by example to her son. As the older cousin of Mary, we see that Elizabeth’s role was to be an example and encouragement to Mary who was just a young teenage girl herself. Elizabeth had spent a life serving God and doing His will, so she could have easily shared the blessings of obedience. She had been married a long time to Zechariah and could have easily shared how to honor God in Mary’s future marriage to Joseph. Elizabeth also had faced reproach from her community for being barren and would have been able to encourage Mary regarding the reproach she would soon face as the people would not have understood God’s plan. How is God using you in His plan? Do you see your role as mother, daughter, grandmother, older woman as a way to encourage other women? In what ways are you seeking to honor God in His will for your life?