Immediately after Elizabeth greeted Mary, Mary proclaimed:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
And verse 56 tells us that Mary stayed with Elizabeth about 3 months and returned to her home.
And Mary leaves us with wonder (amazement) and wondering. It is only in examining the texts that foretell Jesus birth - and then the scant history of what was recorded that we realize how much we don't know. What we do know is enough. A miraculous birth was about to take place for Zechariah and Elizabeth; and another miraculous birth was only +-6 months away.
I wonder who recorded the words Mary spoke through the power of the Holy Spirit that day; or if God recited them to Luke when he was writing the history. Reading and wondering leaves me with more questions than answers - but even within that we know all we were meant to know. Our belief in God is not a journey corroborated by sight - but by faith. Immersing ourselves in what we do know because it is written in God's Word for us to study and embrace is enough. God doesn't need us to know everything to trust him and his plan for us. Part of faith is being willing to walk out our journey with him only having each step revealed to us in his time. But - study we must!
There is far more in the Bible to process than we work to dig out. That's why he tells us to study.
I memorized 2 Timothy 2:15 in the King James Version as a kid:
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The ESV says it this way:
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
That is the fruition of WONDER: Searching, learning, seeing, understanding, embracing, acting on.
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