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In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country … and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. … 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.” (Luke 1:39a, 40, 41b-44)
I love Elizabeth’s reaction. As soon as she realizes that Mary—and Jesus, in Mary’s womb!—have come to visit her, she cries out with joy. And her baby, John, leaps inside of her for the same reason.
We too have good reason to cry out and jump for joy, because Jesus has come to us—we, who had no claim on Him at all, no reason to expect such love and blessing! But God has come to us in human flesh and blood, one of us—and not just for a short visit, but to be our Savior forever. Through His suffering and death He broke the power of evil over us; and now that He has risen from the dead and lives forever, we know that we, too, will live with Him forever. We will never lose Him, and He will never lose us. His lovingkindness is forever.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, thank You for coming to me in my own life, and making me Yours forever. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- What is the best thing that ever happened to you? (No fair saying “Jesus”!)
- When you first had that good thing happen to you, how did you react?
- Does it surprise you to know that Jesus considers you—you personally!—to be His joy? (See Hebrews 12:2.)
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
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