Luke 1:46b-55
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Many of us are familiar with this song...the Magnificat. The words burst from Mary after she received a double dose of affirmation and blessing from her cousin Elizabeth. The old woman, heavy with child, supported the young woman newly in pregnancy, by recognizing the mysterious beauty of what was unfolding. Furthermore, Elizabeth blessed Mary's abiding faith in the Lord, which Elizabeth knew was an imperative for the guidance and comfort Mary would need from that day forward.
When has somebody noticed something remarkable and mysterious unfolding within you? Perhaps it is a call to serve in a previously unexpected manner... Perhaps it is the sprouting of a transformation ... a recovery ... or a move towards wholeness that was previously unimagined. God is always moving to flesh out His promises for wholeness and justice for all people....and God often takes some action within us and transforms us so that WE become living and breathing manifestations of His plan.
Often it takes somebody outside of our lives ... a mentor, a spiritual companion...sometimes a total stranger or casual acquaintance... to recognize mysterious movements of growth that go unnoticed or discounted or (in worst case scenarios) denied. We may suspect or dismiss initial spurts of possibility that seem unrealistic...unbelievable. Yet with a little sincere encouragement the seemingly small movements may gain momentum and become a torrent of amazing action.
Who has been your "Elizabeth"? Who has affirmed something that sent you "on the way" with a greater certainty of the great things that God has done, and continues to do, for you and all people? How can you be an "Elizabeth" for someone who is wondering about the nudges he/she is experiencing?
1 comment:
YOU have been my Elizabeth, and I pray that what you have shown me on my spiritual journey I will share, much as a pebble dropped into a body of water sends out its gentle [sometimes!] ripples in new directions. Thank you, Pamela.
Blessings always.
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