God "GETS" Girls ;)

As water is to the body so God's word is to our heart and soul.  Really that sink in.

There are times when I'm reading a common section of God's word and my flesh just wants to skip it as I've read it so many times and I think I know it inside out, and yet the Spirit within me always reminds me that His word is LIVING and active... therefore "I can give you some fresh new insight today Carrie, if you'll let me?"

So here I go... reading the common part of Luke 1 again.  Famous Christmas story I've read hundreds of times and yet I do feel surrendered not resigned to the fact that I do want something fresh from it for today if possible.

So the first thing my attitude shift results in is, "Ok Carrie, rather than reading as Narrator, let's play a character.  Take a portion and ask me to really make this real to you."  So I do just that.  I take the portion starting from Elizabeth finding out in her old age she will have a baby right up to the Mary staying with her than leaving.  (Luke 1:24-56)

I began to think of both Mary and Elizabeth... I know... I was only supposed to be one, but it fascinated me so much I wanted to understand both of them.  Both of them such godly women.  Elizabeth was upright in the sight of God and obeyed all His commands blamelessly (v.6) And Mary, Highly favored by God.  A young virgin pledged to be married and an old godly woman.  hmmm...  Both hold to God alone unwavering.  Even though Elizabeth is married, keep in mind out of nowhere Zechariah can't speak and she is all of a sudden pregnant!!!  In her old age??  Then she remains in seclusion for 5 months!  (v.24)  Who was her strength, who was her comfort??  God alone was.  Did she trust Him, even through this upsurd situation even taking place in her very own body???  YES she did.

And little did she know that young Mary too was going through her own trial of trust in God alone somewhat similar only months behind her??  They didn't have facebook, or cells to communicate.  No.  So how did they know.  God.

An angel appears to Mary out of know where, and interesting enough a young girl's response was quite different even from the Priest Zechariah who the same angel Gabriel appeared to.  Though Zechariah questioned Mary responded with, "I am the Lord's servant."

Young ladies... can I encourage you with this powerful thought for a moment.  Do you realize how valuable your trust in God and relationship with Him is.  He will use you in ways you wouldn't believe if only you trust Him fully as Mary did.

From there I find this so interesting that God knows that both Mary and Elizabeth will find great comfort in each other at such a time and so let's Mary know that Elizabeth is 6 months pregnant!  This is so cool!

So Mary without delay knowing that Joseph is inwardly struggling if he should divorce Mary (Matthew 1:19) is left feeling so alone and isolated again with chaos going on inside her very body as a baby is developing and she hasn't even had sex!!!  and so she goes to Elizabeth.

She travels alone to her.  What a road trip that would've been.  Can you just imagine young Mary.... now when she arrives to Elizabeth having spent the last 5 months alone, she instantly through the Spirit of God is connected even to the baby in her womb when she feels the Spirit so strong come from her.  Now Mary hasn't even told her she's pregnant and look at Elizabeth's response..."When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a LOUD voice she exclaimed, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  But why am I so favored that the mother of MY Lord should come to me?  Blessed is she who has BELIEVED that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" (v. 44,45)

Now what joy, encouragement, comfort Mary would've had.  For she hadn't told her anything but Elizabeth had known from the Holy Spirit.  And Mary didn't need all the comfort from lots of people, true godly people don't, to be honest.  But this one divine encounter caused her great joy and peace so much that she expresses a song afterwards.  (v. 46-55).

Elizabeth too was comforted in her time, as there was no way that Mary would've known about her situation either.  Neither of them had their children in their arms, but them simply trusted God's plan to be  good and in relationship with each other loved on each other and comforted each other through this hard time.  Mary remained with her for 3 months.

This shows me the tenderness of God's heart even to His dear women.  He knows childbearing is hard enough let alone done God's way which is completely opposite the world.  He gives women good friends to relate and love on each other together.  Greater than even a man may understand at that time as their bodies change etc.  I pondered this gracious, carrying side of God and felt like mush in my Daddy's hand.  He really gets us women.  :)

THEN... if that wasn't enough... He was going to take this ancient penning of scripture and bring it alive to me in a modern day setting that night.

I have 2 of my beloved youth leader women, whom we've served together for the past few years and are truly my loved sisters, both are pregnant with their first child about 2 months apart.  Well that night at midnight I get a text that the one is in the hospital already dilated 2 months premature, asking me to pray.  I'm on it and texting back and forth as she lay in the hospital.  Only to find out the other leader who's baby is due any day goes into labor and is having an emergency C section at the same time!!  The premature labor is calmed down, some medicine, needles, etc... but she is to stay in that night and the next so the doctor's can watch her.  The other leader had a beautiful baby boy, but after the hurt of a C section.  I know, I've been there.

The most blessed part.... was that night as their wheeled into their rooms both in different emotional states with bodies hurting and not knowing they are both in there... YES!!!!  their beds end up beside each other and they end up sharing the room together!!! NOW is that GOD or what???  How crazy was all of this to me to not only read it that morning but then witness again the great compassionate hand of our God in 2 women I love so dearly.

Nothing... absolutely.... nothing gets by God.  Nothing is too small for Him.... and rather than us women making a man wrong for not knowing our pain or our hurt, I think Elizabeth and Mary took the cake for that one!  They turned their face towards their Father and truly trusted Him.  What wonderful women we have as examples to us here and now.

Ladies, truly let your Father extravagantly love you.  HE knows... really knows.