The Visitation

1. Elizabeth say’s to Mary ” Why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
2. Elizabeth is bowed down to Mary in reverence and respect to honor her and her baby. Other things I notice in the painting is that Elizabeth’s head is all covered (to show respect?) and her hand is touching Mary’s side as if to touch Christ. Also, the lady in the back, in pink looks as if she may be with child also? The other lady is folding her hands as if in prayer.
3. I don’t think Elizabeth was jealous as she finally was going to have her own baby after so many years. I think she was just in awe over this miracle baby, Mary carried.
4. Elizabeth’s baby leaped for joy when the voice of Mary’s greeting came to her ears. The poem seems to be framed in God’s ray of light and Mary must of been singing as she came through the doorway…when Elizabeth’s baby leaped for joy. The hidden first encounter was the two babies, Jesus and John the baptist (son and son), in the wombs meeting for the first time.
5. Elizabeth affirms Mary by (verse 45) saying she is “blessed by believing that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord”. Elizabeth believed the miracle of Jesus to be born from the virgin Mary and was blessed by believing.
6.I hope I would be good at affirming friends for their faith or character just as Rebecca done today meeting a new friend and sensing her love of Christ and affirming her in love.
I can’t do much today as it’s so late (It’s my quite time) or yet maybe I can because the day has started already! But I can pray that I would be affirming to anyone the Lord would put in my way. I would hope that I come across as a christian and I think I am pretty good at picking out believers.
I look for the fruits of the spirit in people.
7. I scensed that my friend Mary from AL was a christian lady back in 1974, when I went up to her and introduced myself to her. She looked lonely and sad and as soon as I talked to her for alittle while I knew she probly loved the Lord because she never cussed or gossiped or complained about everything there, like most people did. She was delighted to have someone talk to her as she was older and most of us were younger in the factory. And the more we talked the more evident it was that she was a christian because she would say things like “The Lord took my husband to heaven” and “she was blessed with three kids and six grandchildren”. You just know when you meet people that love the Lord…it usually just radiates from them. People that don’t walk a christian life is even more noticable, when they are cussing and argueing and gossiping and honking and giving you certain gestures and screaming at you (like my friend Connie did) to get out!
8. My take away this week has been learning how to be a good christian mother, wife and friend. What better examples do we have as women than Elizabeth and Mary? They were God’s choice to be the mother’s of two blessed babies, so they should be our shining examples of what a mother, wife and friend should be!

1. What does Elizabeth say to Mary in verse 43? She acknowledges that she knows that Mary is the mother of the Messiah. This has to be prophecy or how could she have known? An angel did not speak to Elizabeth as far as we know. What attitude does she have toward Mary? She has an attitude of humility toward Mary. She feels honored by her visit.
2. How is this depicted in the painting? Elizabeth is kneeling before Mary. She is not looking at her and I don’t know if there is any significance to that. Other comments on the painting? Both women have halos which I think signify the presence of the Holy Spirit. There seems to be faint halos above the heads of the figures looking on also. Elizabeth and the woman that is also pregnant are looking at something to the left of the picture. The figure on the right appears to be a man. He is looking on the scene and has an attitude of awe.
3. Why do you think Elizabeth wasn’t jealous? Just as perfect love casts out fear, I think it also casts out jealousy. The presence of the Holy Spirit is well depicted here and I simply do not think there were such petty emotions. As light causes darkness to flee, so the Spirit would cast out such emotions. I also had the thought that she may have had a sense of the pain Mary would endure.
4. Read verse 44 and comment on Luci Shaw’s poem. It is a beautiful poem. Not only does it celebrate this very special meeting, it helps us to see that we can enjoy such meetings with each other. This was the recognition of Jesus in another and we can see Him in others also if we have the eyes to see.
5. How does she affirm Mary? Elizabeth affirms Mary by believing her and celebrating what God is doing through her.
6. How good are you at affirming friends for their faith or character? What might you do today? This question slays me. I am not good at all at this. Maybe I am just not that good at recognizing the Holy Spirit in others. Maybe I have a critical spirit…I would love prayers about that because I am at a loss for steps to take other than repentance. I will have to start looking for ways that the Holy Spirit is present in others and commenting to them about it.
7. Share a time when you met another person and recognized Jesus in them before you knew for sure they were a believer. What happened? I think it is awesome that Rebecca shared her experience just before we started these questions. Sometimes I don’t share because it does not seem relevant, but it is and God uses it.
I work with a young woman from China. We ride in from the parking lot together a lot and I thought she was a Christian but I have difficulty understanding her and I think she has the same problem. One day we were talking about something that had almost happened at work that would have been bad. I said that God was watching over us. She came to me later in the day and said ‘now I know what you said’ and she was very happy. Even before that she would ask me about things and what I thought she should do in different situations, as if she sensed I might know. The first time was when she was talking about her 3 y/o daughter and did I think she should work less. I said ‘by all means, if you can afford it’. She got tears in her eyes and before I knew it she was working 3 10hr shifts instead of 4 per week. Even though I often have trouble understanding her I enjoy her very much. She has since shared with me how she came to the Lord. It was here when she lived in Nashville and her whole family in China is unsaved, but her husband was saved shortly after she was.
8. What is your take-a-way this week and why? My take away is that I must find ways to affirm the ones I love, my husband and sons.

Ladies.. The Lord put on my heart to affirm my boys this morning.. Here was Andrew, my 8 year old’s response: “Mom, I can’t help it, I am focusing on your yellow teeth.. I didn’t hear a word you said.” -haha! Just thought I would throw that in for some humor this morning. ;P

I have been traveling to visit my sister and then visiting but I wanted to share how your prayers were answered. Today has been a wonderful day and I affirmed my husband and older son before 10 am! Thanks so much for your prayers!

Renee,
My heart goes out to you over the loss of your mom. Like Dee said, moms are irreplaceable! We share a special bond with our moms like no other. I will be praying for you, too. Sending you a hug through this post!

4. Read verse 44 and comment on the poem.

Yes, that should be our/my attitude with other believers; and what about when I make time to meet with my Lord? Does my heart turn over in anticipation of time with Him, or am I too busy and distracted? Has my quiet time become a “chore” or a “to-do today” sort of thing?

Susan,

Love this: “and what about when I make time to meet with my Lord? Does my heart turn over in anticipation of time with Him, or am I too busy and distracted?”-