39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Luke 1:39-45
“Leaping for Joy Because Jesus is Coming”
Today’s passage is short, but it paints a beautifully vivid picture of life and worship.
Imagine what it would have been like. Mary had just received the news from the angel (Luke 1:26-38) and had headed out to visit with her cousin Elizabeth. She had no idea that God had similarly blessed Elizabeth until the moment they came into each other’s presence. John, still within Elizabeth’s womb, leapt for joy because the One – the Messiah, Jesus the Christ – he was born to proclaim and be the forerunner for had come near – even though Jesus was still in Mary’s womb, too! Some would say that this was just babies kicking or coincidence, but the Word of God says it was more. The Word says it was the Holy Spirit moving in baby John. The Word says it was joy. And so it was.
Around this time of year, the song “Mary Did You Know?” is very popular, and if you have not heard it yet, you will surely hear it soon. We spend a lot of time speculating what Mary did or did not know. One thing for sure, that young woman must have been scared wondering who in their right mind would ever believe a virgin had conceived a child. What would people say? But the reaction of Elizabeth and her unborn son must have been such a relief! All Mary had to do was give a simple, “Hello”, to prompt Elizabeth to be filled with God’s Spirit and worship.
Sometimes, I think it is easy to miss things in brief sections like this – couched between Mary getting the news about Jesus and Mary’s song of worship regarding the whole situation. But one thing for sure, the Spirit wanted to make sure that Elizabeth and John did not miss the significance – that they did not miss Jesus.
What about you? It is only December 10, but I am sure the hustle and bustle of the season are already upon you. There are plays and parties and presents galore. Schedules fill quicker that a Griswold’s eggnog glass. We casually talk about the reason for the season and how easy it is to lose focus. What if we asked God’s Spirit to move in us and ignite worship at the recognition of who Jesus is? What if we spent more time in the Word this Christmas than the Wal-Mart? What if we recognized that Jesus’s coming was imminent?
May God move in our hearts this Christmas and help us fix our eyes on Jesus!
Reflection Questions:
- The passage shows Elizabeth and John’s joy that Jesus would be coming soon. In what ways can you cultivate a sense of anticipation of Jesus’s return during this Christmas season?
- Today’s devotion ends with a prayer for God to move in our hearts and help us fix our eyes on Jesus. How does this prayer resonate with your own desires?
"Adorned with the Word: Praise" from Colossians 3:16 (Refresh & Restore: Colossians — Jesus Over All) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast
- "Adorned with the Word: Praise" from Colossians 3:16 (Refresh & Restore: Colossians — Jesus Over All)
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- "Adorned with Thankfulness" from Colossians 3:15-17 (Refresh & Restore: Colossians — Jesus Over All)
- Advent 2023 — Christmas, December 25 | "The Light of the World is Here!"
- Advent 2023 — Christmas Eve, December 24 | "Good News of Great Joy, or The Weary World Rejoices"
Just Keith Harris 
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