What I love about the Bible is that in this story it did not stop at Mary hearing the announcement about her baby. It continues on to let us know what happens next. We find Mary a few days later traveling to the hill country to see her cousin Elizabeth. Part of me wonders what was stirring in her mind while she prepared and traveled. Was she excited because Elizabeth was pregnant too? Did Elizabeth know about her...the angel told her about ELizabeth? How did her cousin feel/react? Was she as excited as Mary was or was she as frightened as Mary was? I was blessed with a huge imagination so if I don't watch myself I could run this track all day.
This morning as I was doing my Bible study and dove into my advent study I read my next chapter in "God Came Near" by Max Lucado. This chapter and the song "Mary did you know" by Mark Lowry is what set the paragraph before into a whirl as I dove into my study time today. Here are some of the questions for Mary:
- What was it like watching him pray?
- How did he respond when he saw other kids giggling during service at the synagogue?
- When he saw a rainbow, did he ever mention a flood?
- Did you ever feel awkward teaching him how he created the world?
- When he saw a lamb being led to the slaughter, did he act differently?
- Did you see him with a distant look on his face as if he were listening to someone you could not hear?
- Did you know your son would give sight to the blind?
- Did the thought ever occur to you that the God to whom you were praying was asleep under your own roof?
- Did you ever try to count the stars with him...and succeed?
- Did he ever come home with a black eye?
- Did you know your son would walk on water?
- Did he have any friends by the name of Judas?
- Did you realize your son walked and talked with angels?
- Did you ever scold him?
- Did he ever have to ask a question about scripture?
- Did you realize that your son would truly sacrifice everything for you?
- Did he ever get angry when someone was dishonest with him?
- Did you know your son would calm a storm with his hand and a word?
- When you kissed your tiny baby, did you realize you were kissing the face of God?
When I think of Mary visiting Elizabeth I can see the two of them hugging, laughing and crying all in the same moment. I can hear them sharing their excitement, fear, joy and expectation. I can see Mary sharing with Elizabeth how amazed she felt to be chosen for something so special. In her song of praise (Luke 1:46-55) Mary refers to herself as a "lowly servant girl". This tells me that Mary did not think of herself as special or set apart. Mary spent 3 months visiting Elizabeth and I don't question in my mind part of that was celebration, part of that was sharing fears, and part of that was soaking in the years of life and wisdom Elizabeth had on her. I wonder if that trip was one of the ways the Lord began to prepare Mary and her heart for the journey ahead?
As a woman good girlfriends are important and truly hard to find. I have had some come and go, but what I love is in the past couple of years the Lord has brought me some ladies that truly feed my heart and soul. They challenge me spiritually and they listen when my world is falling apart. To me I wonder if that is what Elizabeth was for Mary? This is the first Christmas in a long time that I feel the Lord challenging me to push the story, look beyond what I know to what I don't or have not thought of. We all need people in our lives to give us hope, encouragement and a kick in the rear when we need it. Treasure those people and if you don't have any I encourage you to ask the Lord to give you a couple. I know you will be amazed at how blessed your life truly will become.
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