Joy in the Hill Country in Judah



Artist's depiction of the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth

 Now at  this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." (Luke 1:39-45 NKJV)

    For the period of time just prior to these verses, the lives of Elizabeth and Zacharias had been pretty amazing. Zacharias had a conversation with the angel Gabriel. Because he had failed to believe Gabriel, Zacharias spent five months unable to speak. His wife who was had thought to be barren was now pregnant. Her unborn child had an amazing assignment from God, and she had been filled with the Holy Spirit. That's a pretty good run! Most of us might feel very blessed by events like these. Just as Elizabeth and Mary are cousins, often so are blessed and prideful. Its a small step from being humbled by God's blessing to feeling superior by being called by God.



    Elizabeth (Elisheva in Hebrew) displayed no envy at Mary' arrival. Informed by the Holy Spirit Elisheva said in humility, And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? Elizabeth received her secondary role in God's redemptive plan with grace as would her son, John, years later at the Jordan. Could I have done that? I'm not certain it would have been any easy thing.

    I suppose its coincidental that the words ministry and vanity rhyme. The bible says - For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Cor 4:7 KNJV) Pride is a sledgehammer that demolishes ministry (both corporate ministry and personal ministry). Paul has taught us in 1 Corinthians 12 that the distributed gifts in the church are distinct but of equal value. The same is not necessarily true with ministry. Some ministry is huge and immediately fruitful for the Lord's Kingdom while others struggle to blossom, leaving us to wonder why. Elizabeth didn't waste time wondering. Instead she gave herself over to God's plan. Much time can be wasted struggling to accomplish under the power of self what God would have done effortlessly in the wake of a submitted heart. Pride focuses on human evaluation and recognition while submission focuses only on the Lord's leading and direction.

   Do you walk in an Elisheva Spirit of submission to God's plan for your life? Do you begin each day recognizing in prayer your need for God to accomplish His call on your life, or do you wave Him off each morning with an "I've got this one covered" attitude? In your heart do you believe..... that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her (you) by the Lord." Elizabeth received God’s will for her life as a blessing and His calling on her life as a privilege without comparison to Mary…and more….she rejoiced for her cousin Mary’s superior role as mother of God Incarnate, Jesus.

Today let’s thank God for His call on our lives and recommit to resubmit without regard for what the world (even the Christian world) thinks about it.