Day #350 - Joyful Womb
The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder
”At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 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 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!”“ Luke 1:39-45 NIV
One of the great joys of being a Dad was getting to interact with my children while they were in Grace’s womb. As they developed almost to full term they would move so much and even respond to my voice. Some family members told us that babies can hear and respond to our voices, so I would talk to my babies and read Scripture to them. There was so much joy and anticipation during this time. I love the joy that children and newborns bring into our lives.
There was a supernatural joy event that took place around the incarnation of Jesus. Elizabeth and Zechariah were the parents of John the Baptist, who would become the forerunner of Jesus. Elizabeth was barren and God opened her womb miraculously. She was carrying her child shortly before Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit with the Christ child. As relatives they met when Mary went to Judea. As soon as these two pregnant cousins met and Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, John leaped in Mary’s womb. Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit and even baby John leaped for joy in this Holy Spirit encounter. This fulfilled the angel’s prophecy Zechariah that John would be filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb.
Elizabeth had a revelation that Jesus was the Lord even while being carried by His mother Mary. The Holy Spirit comes upon the revelation of the Lordship of Jesus. The incarnation of Jesus ushered in the manifest Presence of God. Remember “the Presence” is the Person of God and His glory shines in the face of Jesus. This Child was and is fully God and fully Man. When He is near there is supernatural joy, a revelation of who He is and people are filled with the Holy Spirit.
The key to joy is to get near Jesus, to be in His presence, and to be near those who carry “the Presence” of Christ. There is joy that comes from knowing who Jesus is and spending time with Him. What a joy that God has become Man! What a joy that we can receive the Spirit of God! What a joy that comes from being near Him! May You experience the joy of Jesus’s nearness this Christmas.
Lord Jesus, how I love to be near You! There is joy in Your presence! Let me marvel at the power of Your incarnation and the reality that You have entered our world so we could know You. Reveal Yourself to me and fill me a fresh with Your Holy Spirit. Wash sadness away and let me live in Your joy. In Your name, amen.
WOW John... That REALLY touched me! Thank You! : )
Love the reminder that baby John jumping in his mother's womb was prophesied in Zechariah, and also the reminder the other day (which I'd never thought about before) that John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets! Glory hallelujah that Jesus was prophesied by so many, so accurately, in pointed detail; He truly fulfilled the Law and the prophets for all to see! Bless His holy Name! 🕊✝💖🙏