Promises - by Bec Bonython
This is the weekly CMT devotion, taken from the Mother's Day service. I pray it blesses you.
Mary, has just found out she is pregnant with Jesus, and rushes to stay with her relative Elizabeth. Luke 1:41 says: “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 favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached by ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil His promises to her.”
Elizabeth was a woman of faith! Luke 1:6 says she continued to trust, serve and worship God, despite not being able to see her promise. Through her many years of waiting, of wondering, of serving, and of worshipping in faith, Elizabeth could have doubted if God even saw or noticed her. She could have become quite hurt, disenchanted, angry and bitter at God for not meeting her deepest desires, but we can see that her heart was not like that.
Instead, her heart was open to the infilling of the Holy Spirit as it descended upon her to proclaim and prophecy that she had been visited by “the mother of my Lord.”
The truth is, God is always watching us. We do not go unseen by God, nor unrewarded. Elizabeth was in His view the whole time. As are each one of us.
Though the wait may be long, God will fulfil His purpose and promise for each of us. I want to encourage you that the Lord is always watching and listening. We are in His sights.
Though our deepest hearts desires may have not yet come to pass, God still promises:
Cor 12 - That His grace is sufficient for our needs
Deut 32 - He is just and righteous
Ps 147 - He is mighty and powerful
Lam 3 - He is working for your good and they never cease
Jer 29 - His plans for you are good
Deut 31 - He goes before you and will never leave you
Be encouraged by Hebrews 10:23 which says – Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed because we can trust God to do what He promised.