“There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.”
{Luke 1:14, HCSB}
When Hope Meets Its Hallelujah . . .
Two women.
Two births.
Two baby boys.
Two very different announcements.
The lines showed on Elizabeth’s face. The long arduous years — of walking through the streets, never holding the hand of a child her own — weighed on her heart. Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah, both faithful followers of God, longed for a child.
Then one day . . . the announcement came.
It was no ordinary announcement either. An angel with a holy message pierced their world and their hearts forever.
“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.”
What a grand announcement indeed!
Elizabeth and Zechariah would celebrate their news with the whole community. Everyone would laugh with joy, full of wonderful anticipation.
The years of waiting, the years of wondering — hope finally meeting its hallelujah!
Then another announcement . . .
The lines showed on Mary’s face. Not from age, but from a furrowed brow of confusion.
“How can this be?”
The angel assured her, the Holy Spirit would come upon her. And she, too, would have a boy, and she will call Him Jesus. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of David and His kingdom will have no end.
What a grand announcement indeed!
But Mary’s news wouldn’t receive the same kind of welcome from the community. Scandal surrounded her mysterious pregnancy. A single girl. Just engaged.
And yet . .
The years of waiting, the years of wondering — were even more true for Mary, more true for all of us, for she bore the Hope of the world. The sin that separated man from God would finally be reconciled through the Son she carried in her womb.
The whole world’s Hope finally meeting its hallelujah!
What a joy and delight indeed.
Denise,
Loved the picture with the snow!
Denise,
I can’t even fathom being told that I was going to bear the Hope of the World?? I can only imagine how these two women felt in their heart of hearts at their news?? I love the way the Lord works…only He would have a plan like this!!
Blessings,
Bev
I love the sweet friendship between Mary and Elizabeth, and how God weaved their lives together in such a special way. Thank you for sharing this beautiful reminder of the way God used their lives for the extraordinary.
Happy Sunday!
Megs
(I cruised out to your website, and am so inspired! I love the 31 day challenge. That’s going to be part of my new year’s resolution to write every day. Thank you for sharing it, and answering the call to write!)
That is awesome and very well put! Praise God! Hallelujah! Of course, there’s only one point that would have made it even more powerful, if I may. I was waiting for you to get to it. It would have been better if you had ended on Elizabeth prophesying over Mary after Elizabeth’s baby (John) jumped in Elizabeth’s womb upon hearing Mary’s greeting because that is the TRUE moment that “Hope met Hallelujah” as John whom Elizabeth was carrying was the forerunner to Jesus whom Mary was carrying. Be blessed.
Just beautiful.