Morning by Morning, December 11 - Blessed When We Believe
Good morning, Lord Jesus. O come let us adore You, Christ the Lord. ...
"After those days (Zechariah's) wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, 'This is what the Lord has done for me when He looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.... In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord" (Luke 1:24-45).
We are blessed when we believe. Elizabeth believed and Mary believed. They were "filled with the Holy Spirit" and both of the sons in their wombs -- John and Jesus -- were full of joy in the unfolding fulfillment of the promises and plans of the Lord through their lives (v. 41).
At the fulfillment of Your word, both Elizabeth and Mary were freed from the feelings of disgrace from their past. Elizabeth had felt disgraced from the barrenness of her womb and no doubt Mary had felt disgraced from the doubts about the life of the child growing in her womb. But in the fullness of time and in fulfillment of Your word, You set them from deep disgrace and blessed them highest honor.
In that moment when the child in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy at the presence of the Child in Mary's womb, Mary couldn't contain her praise: "And Mary said, '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!" (Luke 1:46-49)
And in the at moment, perhaps Elizabeth sensed a measure of the fulfillment of Your prophetic word through Isaiah: "Sing, O barren one who did not bear; burst into song and shout, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate woman will be more than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.... Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more!" (Isaiah 54:1-4)
When we choose to believe, You change our shame into praise and our sorrow to joy. You redeem every place of our disgrace into a place of honor. The Mighty One does great things for us! (Luke 1:49) "For nothing for will be impossible with God" (Luke 1:35). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
I pray the Lord will change every place of shame into praise and sorrow to joy, as you believe in Him and the blessing of His plans for you, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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