Would you like to join me in an imaginary dinner party? Sitting around the table would be women from Biblical history and beyond, all sharing how God gave them their hearts' desires - a baby. Sarah would be there. Hannah, too. Elizabeth would hold center stage. I would be there, and many of my friends, too. Wouldn't you love to hear their stories? Some, like Sarah, would share that at first they didn't believe, they couldn't believe! Some, like Hannah, would laugh as they told stories of how people thought they were crazy to think she could get pregnant.
Then I imagine the conversation grows quiet as Elizabeth shares her story.
I imagine her wistful smile as she shares that in her case, God didn't come to her, or send an angel to tell her the good news. Instead, His angel went to her husband, Zechariah, in the temple. I imagine the tears in her eyes as she contemplates how God used His holy place to share this holy news.
I think her smile grows as she tells how Zechariah ran home, and using sign language or some other communication, tells her about this amazing visit and their good news! I like to think she even giggles as she remembers Zechariah's speechlessness, his pantomime retelling of his story.
Then perhaps her eyes widen as she shares the moment she realized she truly was pregnant. The tears of joy, now spilling down her face, simply create a glow on her countenance, as she struggles to find the words to share that moment. And all of us at the table nod, in complete understanding, for we have all had that moment of wonder and joy.
Then I think she stands, unable to contain her excitement, as she shares how her baby leaped in her womb the moment she sees Mary, her pregnant cousin, carrying the Messiah. I think the words we read in Luke 1 are words she now sings to us:
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
As she sings the words, her voice changes to a whisper: why am I so favored? How am I so blessed?
Elizabeth returns to her place at the table, and we are all quiet for a moment, contemplating the goodness of God for generations upon generations. We are all thinking about our children, these babies who became men and women, some strong for the Lord . . . others not. Some women are crying tears of mourning; some tears of joy. But we are all crying together, sharing this moment, gathering strength from each other.
Then Elizabeth begins to share who her boy grew to be. How he became known as John the Baptist, the voice crying in the wilderness - that's right, the prophet Isaiah even told about him, her son! - the one who came to prepare the way for the Messiah.
She shares how painful it was for John to die such a horrible death, but her overwhelming, everlasting joy at sharing eternity with him, with her family, her cousin - the Messiah was also her cousin! - and of course, God, her heavenly father.
Elizabeth is important to the Christmas story, because her son would give testimony to the coming of the Christ, the Messiah, our Redeemer. Her story - which, just like Mary's - is a miraculous example of grace and hope, tells us about God's character. Elizabeth's story exemplifies the love God has for us, His desire to give us our desires, and His overwhelming, ever reaching plan for the world. To give His only Son, that we might have eternal life.
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