“Blessed are you!” are the words spoken by Elizabeth found in Luke’s Gospel when she greets her cousin Mary. Out of all of the examples of friendship in the Bible, my very favorite one is this little story, cradled in the grander scheme of the Christmas story.
For the context of this passage below, two miraculous events occurred: First, a teenage girl named Mary was visited by an angel and told that she would have a son named Jesus, who was our Savior and Lord. Second, the angel also told Mary that her much older cousin, Elizabeth, was now six months pregnant after decades of being barren. Elizabeth’s baby is John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Luke 1:39-47 (ESV), “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. 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. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.’ And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.’”
Although the conversation recorded in Luke is the brief beginning of the reunion between Elizabeth and Mary gave us a beautiful taste of what the rest of their three-month visit would have been like. After studying this passage, there are three things that I gleaned from Elizabeth and Mary’s friendship that I find applicable in this Christmas season when we’re gathering with friends, or even missing some friends who are no longer with us.
One of the ways God provides what we need is through the connection we have with people around us. Mary made haste to be in the company of someone who had also experienced the kindness of God and was also walking in God’s plan for her life. Deep spiritual connections are part of God’s design in order for us to learn from each other and be a blessing to each other. Both women are filled with the Holy Spirit. Their connection was more than these two women were cousins, or perhaps had the same favorite food. The work of the Holy Spirit in their lives made their deep connection possible. It reminds me of Ecclesiastes 4:12, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Their mutual love for God and obeying Him made their bond so strong. Out of all of the exclamations that Elizabeth could have said to her cousin Mary as she welcomed her into her home, she called her, “Blessed!” In Luke 1:42-45, Elizabeth’s focus is on Jesus, acknowledging Him as her Savior and Lord. She blesses Mary for the role God has given her in bringing their Lord into the world.
Luke 1:43, “And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Again, Elizabeth’s focus is on the child in Mary’s womb, Jesus, who was her and Mary’s Lord and Savior of the world. Out of all the people to verbalize this blessing over Mary, God used a woman who, before her current pregnancy, had faced decades of infertility. She was older than grandmothers and about to become a mother. But was rejoicing over a teenager’s miraculous pregnancy. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to do that.
Not once did Elizabeth mention her own amazing story. She demonstrates a humility that I don’t think I have mastered yet. In this moment, Elizabeth modeled making God’s story bigger than her story. She reminds me of the verse John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Each time I read this story, I am awestruck by Elizabeth and Mary’s love for the Lord and love for each other. I’m grateful that the Holy Spirit guides, teaches, and equips us to be able to follow this model of friendship before us. The same spirit in Mary and Elizabeth is in us.
Luke 1:41-42 Elizabeth blesses Mary and rejoices with her over what God has done. Luke 1:45, “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Then, in the very next verse 46, Mary turns her praise to God and launches into what is called “The Magnificat,” nearly ten verses of exclaiming and proclaiming praise to God. When you go home today, I would encourage you to read and ponder those verses.
What we see is an exchange based on a spiritual connection where they are together rejoicing over God at work in their lives, and using God’s truth to encourage each other’s hearts. Together, Elizabeth and Mary encouraged one another to believe the amazing story that was unfolding in both of their lives. They helped each other to continue relying on and following God.
Characteristics of Godly friendship are based on a spiritual connection. Friends who delight in God’s Word and use God’s Word to encourage each other’s hearts. Elizabeth and Mary exchange spiritual blessings with each other, and even their children were blessed by the reunion, verse 44 John the Baptist in the womb leaped for joy. The friendships that we share with our sisters-in-Christ have a generational impact.
Do we have friends who encourage each other, sharing joy, pointing each other to Jesus? Do we have friendships that are focused on the glory of God? Better yet, are WE the friend who encourages, share in someone’s joy, and point our friends to Jesus? Are we more concerned about the glory of God than our own glory?
I think a reason why this passage of Elizabeth and Mary fascinates me so much is that they used their testimonies to praise God together. God had done a work in both of their lives.
Elizabeth received the gift of her son, John the Baptist, who was wanted, prayed for, and agonized over for years. The world received the gift of Jesus, our Savior, who was wanted, prayed for, and anticipated for years by God’s people. And after 400 years of silence, God chose Mary to bring Jesus into the world. These women both had a testimony and used their testimonies to encourage each other and to glorify God. They came together to proclaim what God had done and was doing in their lives and were eager to share it with one another. God promised Elizabeth would have a child, and Mary took that as reassurance that what God promised her would also come to pass. Luke 1:36-37, “And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Mary was so eager to be encouraged by Elizabeth’s testimony that she traveled 100 miles to visit her cousin, to be a part of what God was doing in Elizabeth’s life. Do we take the time to pay attention to what God is doing in the lives of those around us?
I think Elizabeth and Mary’s relationship is astounding. Because their reunion was all about giving praise to God. Allowing the Holy Spirit to be at work in our hearts, connecting with Godly friends, and sharing our testimonies has a generational impact. Earlier, I mentioned Elizabeth’s posture of humility, demonstrating John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Fun fact, that verse was written by John the Baptist, who was once the baby that leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb.
If you are lonely or grieving friends this Christmas, or if you are experiencing joy-filled reunions, may you be encouraged by this amazing story found in Luke 1. Jesus, the baby in Mary’s womb, cares for you and intercedes for you. The Holy Spirit gives us comfort and gives us peace. The Holy Spirit, who connects our hearts with our friends, is our Comforter. If you are missing the friend who exemplified the characteristics of this story, know that Jesus is the best friend we can ask for. There is no earthly friendship that compares. All of our friendships here on earth are but a picture of what He offers us. He will use our testimony to bless others and glorify God.
Blessed are WE for Jesus came for US. Merry Christmas!
