Saturday Sisters - Elisabeth

an occasional series of meditations.

from Luke 1

Think of ways to encourage each other

to outbursts of love and good deeds.

Hebrews 10:24NLT

  For centuries God had had no word to give to His people.

  In a culture that put much store in the meaning of names, it is fitting that the next word He gave came through a devoted couple whose names were Zechariah, "God Remembers," and Elisabeth, "(His) Oath."

  It started out as an ordinary workday for her husband when he got the news. It was not an ordinary day for Elisabeth when he came home from work mute and somehow let her know there was going to be a baby.

  Zechariah had been convinced this would not happen, though they had been praying for a child for many long years. Elisabeth believed. Did she remember that this had happened before, to Sarah and Abraham?

  A few months later, her young relative Mary arrived unnaounced  for a lengthy stay. Rather than regarding this as a major inconvenience, Elisabeth listened to the still, small voice of God and was thrilled to see Mary. Elisabeth recognized Mary, not merely as a relative whom she loved, not as a girl who had misbehaved, but as a young woman of great faith, the recipient of a blessing from God even greater than her own.

  From the great well of her faith, experience and emotions, Elisabeth gave.

"You are blessed, because you believed

that the Lord would do what He said."

Luke 1:45NLT

When Elisabeth knew she was at last going to receive

her heart's desire, she continued to trust and obey God.