By Claudia Mair Burney
Thursday, the first week of Advent
“In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country where she entered the house of Zechariah, and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit…” Luke 1:39-41, NRSV
This is such a startling moment. Elizabeth had waited a lifetime, living righteous before God and blameless, yet she bore the shame of being barren until she received the promise of a miraculous birth, around the same time Mary did. Mary’s visit set a number of wonderful actions in motion, beginning with Elizabeth’s immediate recognition that Mary was indeed, full of grace. How often does God actions come to our homes? Will we recognize His work and praise God, or will we simply miss Him, once again, not seeing the holy in the wholly ordinary.
Generous Father,
When your grace comes to me in such a personal way, do I recognize that it is You? Or do I go on doing things the same way I always do, or seeing things the same way I always see them, without Your knowledge and insight? Will you please help me, kind Father, to know when You indeed, have come to visit me. And may I rejoice as Elizabeth did, at my marvelous fortune, saying,
“Come, Lord Jesus.”
When your grace comes to me in such a personal way, do I recognize that it is You? Or do I go on doing things the same way I always do, or seeing things the same way I always see them, without Your knowledge and insight? Will you please help me, kind Father, to know when You indeed, have come to visit me. And may I rejoice as Elizabeth did, at my marvelous fortune, saying,
“Come, Lord Jesus.”
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