Today as I thought about all the circumstances in life that happen that leave me wondering why or when, I was reminded about Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother.
She was very old and well past child bearing years when she finally became pregnant with baby John. In those days, a barren woman was thought of as less than. Surely there must be a reason in her life for her barrenness. Not being able to conceive and bear a child was a great emotional burden for her I am sure. I can imagine all the years she spent wondering why God... why have I not been blessed with a child? Why did I not get the blessing of being a mother? What sin is there in my life that holds this blessing back? What will happen to me when I am old?
Then one day her husband has a miraculous meeting with an angel in the temple. (Read the full story in Luke chapter 1) He is struck mute because of his unbelief that his wife would bear a son. I can only imagine Elizabeth's questions after that day. God, not only do I not have a son to care for me in my old age but now You have allowed my husband to no longer be able to speak.
Yet despite all these circumstances, from what I have read about her in the Bible, she does not seem to have a hardened heart nor a bitter one. It is with much surprise and great joy, I am sure, that she treasures the moments of her pregnancy and the early years of John's life.
The Bible doesn't tell us if she ever had any other children after John. He may have been her only one.
What if she never had other children so that she could concentrate fully on John? John was after all blessed with a great mission from God--he was to prepare the way for Jesus.
What if she was meant to be older when she had John? Life had taught her many things at that point. She would not have been a young naive mother by any stretch of the imagination.
What if her "mission" or "calling" if you will, was much bigger than being a typical Jewish housewife/SAHM? What if because her calling was to parent someone extraordinarily special, she needed all those years with just her thoughts and God's?
All these questions/thoughts come to mind as I wonder about dear Elizabeth and her life all those years ago. Despite all her years of waiting and wanting, she must have kept her heart pure and ready toward God.
Sometimes the greatest destinies take time to come so that we might have a chance to really be ready for them.
She was very old and well past child bearing years when she finally became pregnant with baby John. In those days, a barren woman was thought of as less than. Surely there must be a reason in her life for her barrenness. Not being able to conceive and bear a child was a great emotional burden for her I am sure. I can imagine all the years she spent wondering why God... why have I not been blessed with a child? Why did I not get the blessing of being a mother? What sin is there in my life that holds this blessing back? What will happen to me when I am old?
Then one day her husband has a miraculous meeting with an angel in the temple. (Read the full story in Luke chapter 1) He is struck mute because of his unbelief that his wife would bear a son. I can only imagine Elizabeth's questions after that day. God, not only do I not have a son to care for me in my old age but now You have allowed my husband to no longer be able to speak.
Yet despite all these circumstances, from what I have read about her in the Bible, she does not seem to have a hardened heart nor a bitter one. It is with much surprise and great joy, I am sure, that she treasures the moments of her pregnancy and the early years of John's life.
The Bible doesn't tell us if she ever had any other children after John. He may have been her only one.
What if she never had other children so that she could concentrate fully on John? John was after all blessed with a great mission from God--he was to prepare the way for Jesus.
What if she was meant to be older when she had John? Life had taught her many things at that point. She would not have been a young naive mother by any stretch of the imagination.
What if her "mission" or "calling" if you will, was much bigger than being a typical Jewish housewife/SAHM? What if because her calling was to parent someone extraordinarily special, she needed all those years with just her thoughts and God's?
All these questions/thoughts come to mind as I wonder about dear Elizabeth and her life all those years ago. Despite all her years of waiting and wanting, she must have kept her heart pure and ready toward God.
Sometimes the greatest destinies take time to come so that we might have a chance to really be ready for them.
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