Tuesday, December 20

MARY AND ELIZABETH JOURNEY TOGETHER

Luke 1:39-45

Belief and fellowship are essential for the journey. I don’t mean believing in your head. I mean believing with your feet, a belief that will take you on a journey to the stable and beyond. Belief produces obedience. Mary’s steps of obedience took her with eagerness and earnestness into the company of another who believed. Mary arose and chose to believe God. She took the opportunity to step forward into holy fellowship with Elizabeth. God’s order is to gather together in One Body to exhort and encourage to grow in the Lord.

Believing God is what drew the two women together. Both of them had been waiting on God. Elizabeth had hid herself for 5 months and the angel visited Mary. Those who believe God will wait upon Him. Mary had fellowship with Elizabeth, not because they were kin, and not because they were both expecting baby boys. No, this was not their common ground. Mary and Elizabeth were believers, dealt with by God, who desired to magnify the Lord together with their lives in true obedience and surrender to His will alone.

Elizabeth took the time for the Lord to look upon her, to observe her fixedly, and to absolutely discern her clearly. Elizabeth positioned herself to be dealt with by God, for His word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, and He is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. God so used this woman, through her steps of obedience, that the fruit of her womb would be the Voice of one calling out to produce fruit meet for repentance. Elizabeth believed the Lord would perform His word. He was faithful and she believed Him. Elizabeth, late in years, had seen God’s faithfulness to her. His gaze had penetrated her soul as she waited on Him. Now, standing before her, was this young woman Mary, who was also called into God’s favor.

Mary was chosen among women that the fruit of her womb would be the promised Messiah. When they came together, there was Holy Spirit fellowship as Elizabeth’s babe leaped for joy in her womb. Together they were called to believe God, to fully entrust their lives to Him. Mary would need to trust when a sword would pierce through her own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. There were more steps to take beyond the stable. She too must go in God’s order and grow in Him. Praise God she did, and was gathered together in one place and in one accord, praying on the day of Pentecost. “And all that believed were together, and had all things common.”

“Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Blessed are all who wait upon the Lord, believing God’s faithfulness who called and will perform it. What joy and fellowship there is, through tragedy and triumph, when believers walk together in agreement, being drawn by the Holy Spirit. Believe Him with your heart and your feet. Journey on together in holy fellowship with the Body of Jesus Christ.

~ Rosemary Parrotta