What Did Jesus Do?
…the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth exclaimed,
“Blessed are you among women!”
Luke 1:41-42
We can anticipate that women will get all excited and giddy over the news that a friend or relative is expecting. I’m pretty sure that God made them that way. But when have you ever heard of an unborn child kicking up his heals in the womb at the news that he was going to have a cousin? I can only think of one, when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth to share the news about her pregnancy, and Elizabeth’s child John began to cavort inside her. The truth is, Jesus always has, and always will, spur reactions of spontaneous joy when the Holy Spirit fills those who hear the Good News!
We should hardly be surprised at the reactions of Elizabeth and the unborn John the Baptist, Israel had only been anxiously awaiting the news of the Advent of the Messiah for the better part of a thousand years. Now, here they were, the first (not counting Mary or Joseph) to know that the Christ would be born in just a few short months, a mere matter of weeks. How could anyone expect the reaction to be anything but unrestrained joy?
Think of how many times we still sing of joy at Christmastime. Jesus is the joy of every longing heart. Captive Israel rejoices to learn that Emmanuel is come to ransom her. All ye faithful come, joyfully and triumphantly, to adore the new born King of angels. We proclaim joy to the world because the Lord has come. An angel brought shepherds watching their flocks glad tidings of great joy. And those shepherds would not shut up, their joyous strains were loud and prolonged. To this day good Christian men, and women and children too, rejoice with heart and soul and voice at the news, the news! All nations arise joyful as they harken to what the Herald angels sing. With a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoiced the holy night when Christ was born, and the Holy Spirit still fills with joy all who call Jesus their Savior and Lord.
Most of us can think of a time, if we have been fortunate many times, when we have reacted with spontaneous joy to some good news for ourselves or someone we love. Here’s a way we can experience special joy this Christmas—we can use this time of Advent to pray for God to prepare the heart of someone to accept the gift of Jesus this year, and then ask God to work in and through us to bring the gift to a neighbor, friend, or relative, even as Mary bore the gift, first to Elizabeth and John, and then to and for the world. We can be sure that Jesus will spur a reaction of spontaneous joy again this Christmas in all who receive him.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
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