Rev Gav
Blessed
Luke 1:39-45. Have you ever considered that you might be blessed by God, purely on the basis of the choices you make?
Luke 1:39-45
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Reflect
After the angel told Mary about her cousin Elizabeth being pregnant, Mary went to visit her. We have to remember that this was quite a journey, and there were no phones so that Mary could call ahead! It must have been the most amazing scene when they met. They would have been so excited to see each other; laughing and weeping with happiness. The unborn John gave Elizabeth a good kick for joy too! Liz then told Mary how Mary had been blessed by God.
Later in Luke’s gospel we hear about how Jesus started his public ministry with a set of sayings that began, “Blessed are those who…” but right here is the first time the phrase is used. Liz tells Mary twice that she is blessed, and twice that her baby is blessed. She finishes by saying she believes Mary is blessed because Mary believes that what God has said to her will come true.
Belief is a choice. We can choose to believe or choose not to believe, and choosing to believe is a blessing! Have you ever considered that you might be blessed by God, purely on the basis of the choices you make?
Do
Today, make the conscious choice to believe that this baby carried by Mary, and the man he grows up into, is as the angel said, the Son of God.
Pray
Holy God
I choose to believe in you.
I believe in your son, Jesus Christ,
that he is the way to God for the nations of the world.
I believe in your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus,
who fills, comforts and guides those who follow you.
This day and for ever.
Amen.
Think
How might we be blessed (i.e. what good things might happen to us – our bodies, moods, thoughts and feelings) if we choose to believe God’s promises?
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I was blessed the day I chose to listen to a particular music video entitled Waymaker. In that instant, God made a way for me - when I thought that there was no path back to Him/Her. 🙏🏾