We’ve got your daily encouragement, written by Lindsey Strickler.
Bible Reading:
“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.’”
Luke 1:39-45
Word:
How beautiful is it that these two mothers were able to share a moment where their unborn children knew one another? The faith of these two women was counter-cultural. The strength of these two women was incredible. One was a woman pregnant out of wedlock and the other was seen as “too old” to be able to get pregnant and who’s unknown sin was blamed for her inability to conceive.
Their situation and faith show us two things about God:
- God doesn’t work within our cultural and social confines. He doesn’t look at people and deem them unworthy for him to use because society is judging them.
- There will be things God calls us to that will make society around us uncomfortable, and they probably won’t understand. We need to be in community with a body of believers who understand the journey we’re on to support us. We can’t do it alone.
God chose two women, who had incredible faith- but who’s status in society was nothing particularly special- to begin the fulfillment of his promise to millions of people. Thankfully, Mary and Elizabeth had one another for support through that time.
Joy is possible when we find ourselves in situations where society will judge us. We have a basic calling in our life that is to the lifestyle God has asked us to live. A lifestyle that impacts the way we view marriage, sex, finances, parenthood, vocation, friendships, etc. A lot of times it does not look like what the rest of society tells us is the right way to live. Then there’s other callings to people, situations, or jobs that are not most attractive or comfortable. We may realize that we need to love someone who’s unlovable, or make less money and appear less successful. We get to be active participants in choosing to step into what God is calling us to do.
Yet, with that, there’s seasons in life where we may need to get away, like Mary did, and be encouraged by other believers before going back to the place of our calling. Don’t shy away from the things that God is calling you to. Rather, prepare your life and relationships in a way to better thrive in that calling.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for letting me be an active participant in the story you’re weaving. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. I know I don’t have the best attitude about it all the time, please shift my perspective so I radiate your joy over possible resentment. If it’s time for me to take a break, and find rest. Please show me and help me know what that looks like. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Skillwork:
If you aren’t plugged in to a local church, take some time to research some in your area and go try them out. If you do attend a local church regularly, find out when they have small groups or Bible Studies you can connect to. Be intentional about finding a community to connect to and have meaningful relationships in. It may take some time, but don’t give up.
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