Sincere Joy

John 1:42 "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!"

This week my mind kept going back to Mary and Elizabeth. As I sit here I'm trying to place myself in the house of Elizabeth the day Mary showed up. Here she was after being well along in years, finally pregnant. She waited a very long time for God to fulfill his promise to her. She probably had many years of feeling forgotten by God, but here we are on this day where she finds herself six months pregnant, and her cousin has come to visit. Can you imagine what she was thinking at this moment? Imagine for a moment how would you have reacted?

This young girl comes walking into your home pregnant and you were pretty old and waited a long time for the baby in your belly. She could have been bitter and jealous of Mary, but instead, she welcomed Mary into her arms! Luke 1:41 says that when Mary walked in, the baby in her belly leaped in her womb. She was so filled with joy for her cousin. Real sincere joy! I mean a joy where her heart was so filled with love and the holy spirit that nothing could get through it. No jealousy or bitterness could even try! I bet Mary was so thrilled that Elizabeth was filled with joy for her because it had to be scary to tell her how she became pregnant, but Elizabeth didn't doubt for a moment. She knew this wasn't just any baby. She knew this baby was going to be special, and he was!

I pray to be more like Elizabeth. When my friends and family share great news I pray that I will sincerely be joyful for them. I want to welcome friends into my crazy home filled with dog hair and toys everywhere. I pray that this next week we take a lesson from Elizabeth and really be sincere around those we love. To let go of all junk and really invite people into our chaos. Let's be so filled with joy for this miraculous baby Jesus! Let's celebrate as we've never had before. Let's welcome friends and family into our homes with love like Elizabeth!

Always Smile,

Michelle