*Day 21 - Elizabeth*

Today's story is about Elizabeth

A couple days ago we talked about Zechariah and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was Mary’s relative. Elizabeth and Mary were pregnant at the same time. When Mary heard that her much older relative, Elizabeth, was pregnant, she went to stay with her for about three months.

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Before Jesus was even born, he was already doing remarkable things. Elizabeth’s son leaped when he heard Mary’s voice. Somehow, John knew that Jesus was close by.

How it must have been for Elizabeth to feel her baby leap at the sound of Mary’s voice. Do you think she would have been a little freaked out? It seems like she was startled at first, but Elizabeth knew what had happened because she was filled with the Holy Spirit. It humbled her  to know she was in the presence of God's Son.

Jesus was so amazing that he was doing incredible things before he was even born. John leaped in his mother's womb when he knew Jesus was close by. Jesus didn’t have to talk, he didn’t have to do anything but be in John’s presence, and it was enough to make him leap with joy.

Something was different about Mary, she was pregnant with the Savior of the world. As Christians we often say that the Holy Spirit is in us. We talk about how we are “filled” with the Holy Spirit. Do you think that being filled with the Holy Spirit makes us different?

It should, in a good way. We are supposed to be different from the rest of the world. The reason we are different is because we know Jesus and we believe in him. John the Baptist was already aware of the presence of Jesus. We need to be aware of the presence of Jesus too.

 John leaped in his mother’s womb because Jesus was in the same room. You don’t always have to say words for other’s to know that Jesus lives inside of you. By doing things that are different than the rest of the world, people can see a difference in you.

Today, think about how we can be different than the rest of the world in a positive way.  We can show others how amazing Jesus is by being kind, offering forgiveness, not getting overly angry, and most importantly, showing love. Let others know who Jesus is by striving to be like him.

“Dear Lord, help me to feel you all around me all the time. Help me to trust that I always have you close by, even when it sometimes doesn’t feel like it. Help me to do what you want me to do. Help me to be different in a good way. Help me to show others your love. Help others to see you through me and my actions. Forgive me when I don’t do what you want me to do. Make me someone that people want to be around because of you. Help those people to come to know you as well. In Jesus name, AMEN!”