Thursday // 26th December 2024
Elizabeth’s Song!
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!_ (LUKE 1:41–42)
Notice: happiness is not what motivated Elizabeth to burst into blessing at the sight of Mary’s appearing, though Elizabeth did have good reason to be happy. Only recently she had been a childless woman, past childbearing age, but God had answered her lifelong prayer: And yet the words of blessing she spoke came not from being filled with happiness, but from being “ filled with the Holy Spirit” She was not only a woman who was “ righteous before God ” who walked “ blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord ” (Luke 1:6); she was also willing to be controlled and guided by God’s Spirit. And that’s where her blessing came from.
God has placed His Spirit inside His children to lead us, to counsel us, and, even to show us what to say. His presence should affect the way we talk. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our mouths should be filled with words like those of Elizabeth, words that are gracious and life giving.
Too often we speak before we’re consciously aware of the Holy Spirit’s direction and discernment about what to say. May we learn, as Elizabeth did, the importance of letting our tongues be guided by Him. This Christmas, ask Him to employ your words so that they bless those around you, saying not just what comes mechanically to mind, but what God Himself has given you to say-or sing!
Your brother in Christ,
Apostle Ashok Martin