Christian Devotional - Mary & Elizabeth

This Christian devotional is written by Shelly Divido

“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zachariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 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

In this scripture we see two women that are blessed and highly favored by God, pregnant with purpose. One carrying Jesus, the Savior of the world. The other carrying John the Baptist, the one sent before Jesus to prepare the way. I can’t imagine what life must have been for Mary during that time. A young girl pregnant out of wedlock. She knew the truth of what God was doing in her life. She saw the angel. She heard the voice of the Lord. She had confirmation through Joseph. She knew what she was carrying inside her. She believed that the baby inside of her was God’s Son. Yet, I imagine her life came with loss, heartache, loneliness, confusion, and grief.  I imagine how a young girl in this situation would be received today and cannot even fathom what it was like back in those days with the major culture differences. I imagine she was outcasted. I imagine God protected her life. I imagine she lost family and friends. I imagined Satan tried to destroy her in every way possible. I imagine the fear she must have felt despite her great faith. I imagine her purpose and destiny came at a great cost and that God’s favor didn’t actually feel like favor in the moment.

And in the greatest and hardest moment of this new season for Mary God sent her to Elizabeth. Elizabeth was also receiving a miracle from God. She was barren and now old in age and pregnant with John. When Mary walked into Elizabeth’s home Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.

God is doing so much in the nations right now. He’s bringing darkness to light. He’s separating the lukewarm from those on fire. He’s marking out the narrow way. He’s restoring the fear of the Lord to the Church. He’s shifting and transitioning. He’s protecting and guiding. Things are changing. He’s removing every unholy covenant. He’s resetting and restoring all things.

Life for many in the Church look different now. The old ways are leaving and the new ways are coming. Transition can feel confusing and lonely. God’s asking you to protect what He’s placed inside of you. He wants you to walk fully in the purpose and destiny He’s called you to. But, Satan is still out to steal, kill, and destroy. Now more than ever he wants to lead you away from God’s will.

Immediately after the angel visited Mary and told her that she was pregnant with God’s Son the angel told her about Elizabeth and the miracle she was receiving. I believe we’re in a moment where God is bringing the Mary and Elizabeth’s together. He’s bringing you your Mary that is going to make your womb leap with purpose and joy. He’s giving you the friend that is not going to question what you carry or the path God has you on, but is going to stand in praise and worship even when it doesn’t make sense and looks absolutely crazy to the world.

God is bringing you your Elizabeth, the one that has gone before you, that has said yes to Jesus so that your heart can believe by faith all God has spoken to you. Your Elizabeth that is going to bless you and protect you and worship with you. The one that is going to walk with you through hard seasons and protect what God has placed in you so that you can birth all God has called you to birth in this hour. The one that believes without seeing all God has spoken because they know nothing is impossible with God.

Our house has been full of kids lately. At any given moment we can all of a sudden be feeding lunch to six kids or providing the fourth snack of the day. They come and go from our house to their house and back again. They play then get in an argument then go back to playing. As I watch these kids learn and grow as individuals and together with the rest of the neighbor kids I’m reminded of the importance of providing a safe place for this next generation. The importance of partnering with Heaven today to create a place where the Marys and Elizabeths of this generation can be equipped and protected to birth their God given purpose and destiny. I watch as these kids embrace the bilingual environment and I’m reminded that God is giving the Church keys to the nations so that every heart will know and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. The world is daily revealing the darkness, but God is releasing hope through His kids.

The old ways are passing away and the new day is coming. Where is your Mary? Where is your Elizabeth? Who are you aligning and partnering with to protect what God has planted on the inside of you? Who is holding up your arms when you think you can’t endure another thing? Who is standing with you to believe that nothing is impossible with God?

May the God of all hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -Romans 15:13

I pray that God reveals to you today the new thing He is birthing through you in this season. I pray that He would bring you your Mary or Elizabeth that will help you protect the seed that’s been planted on the inside of you so that it comes to full fruition in God’s perfect timing. I pray that you would create a space in your life to provide a place for the Mary and Elizabeths of this new generation to be safe and nurtured and discipled with deep roots so that even as the world reveals more darkness in the days ahead that the light inside of these wild ones would shine even brighter. I pray that every promise God has spoken to your heart would come to pass for the glory of His name. I pray that every need would be met with abundance so that you can build all God is calling you to build. I pray that you would be strengthened to endure. I praise God for you and what He’s placed on the inside of you. May you be filled with all hope as you stand in faith knowing nothing is impossible for Him.

Man walking on a bridge through the wilderness