Luke 1:39–45 (TNIV): Mary Visits Elizabeth
“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”’
I love how Jesus’s yet-to-be-born-self in this passage caused Elizabeth to be filled by the Holy Spirit and caused his cousin John to leap for joy in his mother’s womb. Mary, as she carried the Christ-child, also carried the physical presence of an overflowing joy that spilled out of her and spread as they entered a room. She did nothing to manufacture that joy. She simply carried Jesus into the room. She didn’t even have him in her arms yet. He hadn’t even breathed a breath, yet his presence caused a response in others.
I spend a lot of time with middle schoolers. Our oldest two kids are now in 7th and 8th grade and one of our great joys of this season is that Mark and I lead a boisterous/rowdy/sometimes-chaotic group of pre-teens and teenagers every Friday morning at the park before school in DBS and hearing about Jesus. There is loud music, lots of hugs and high fives, and… there are donuts. Beyond those tangible things though, the Spirit of God is present. People often stop to ask what is going on at this park. Come and see.
The other day a 6th grade boy named Davis* told one of our high school leaders, “Just so you know, I am not a Christian. I come here for the donuts and the people.” My heart smiled at that, giggled really. You get up an hour early on a Friday morning for a donut and some fun with friends… that’s what you think, Davis. But what’s happening to you that you can’t see is that the presence of Jesus is spilling out joy unexplainable into your soul. John couldn’t help himself, he leaped for joy. Elizabeth was filled up with the Spirit just because he was there. And you, 12-year-old-who-think-you-just-want-to-eat-sugar-and-chill-with-friends, he’s coming for you, too.
Lord, free me to be like Mary today, to simply be a carrier of your presence. For where you are, there is joy. Adjust my vision to see and notice your subtle yet powerful work of pouring out joy and freedom over those who encounter your presence through my presence. Thank you for living in me. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
For Reflection:
Have you ever had a similar experience to John in the womb of Elizabeth, when your body responded to a person carrying the presence of God into a space?
Lord, where are you inviting me to carry your presence today?
Song to Soak In: “Rest On Us”
https://open.spotify.com/track/6TYAbOGCUk4jvJhc8W9QZv?si=qrXEVUvHQBim7kr1belkSg
*name changed
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jamie Thrash has been a lover of God and friend of Jesus since her high school years. She has a heart for the hungry and the lost. She is fueled by seeing followers of Jesus step into more freedom and deeper intimacy with God through inner healing and spiritual direction and she loves being a part of a team that reaches out to teenagers with the hope of Christ in South Orange County, CA through Young Life. She’s married to a pretty great guy named Mark and they have three kiddos affectionately known as the Thrashcals: Hazel, Hank and Mae.