Day 11 – FROM A – Z

“When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home. It wasn’t long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy. “So this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!” She said. Luke 1:23-25 MSG

Elizabeth has spent the last five months just relishing in all God had done for her. She walked out of the time filled, filled with the Presence of God. She had been sensitized to His nearness, and His goodness. And when God walked into her home she was totally aware that Jesus is God with us. He is Emmanuel.

Day 11 – From A – Z in the book “Through Their Eyes” Jesus had now been immaculately conceived. Our Lord was now an embryo attached by an umbilical cord to His mother. God was beginning to knit His Son together inside of Mary. Mary enters Elizabeth’s greeting and at the sound of her, “Hello.” Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She sang out exuberantly, “You are so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed? Who am I that the mother of my Lord visits me?”

Not one word was spoken to Elizabeth about Mary’s pregnancy, and yet uncannily Elizabeth knew.

How did she know?

How could she recognize Emmanuel – God with us?

I feel it was because what she had been doing the last five months. She had put away all social norms. She relished in her pregnancy and she praise God for all He had done for her.

That’s what praising does; it sensitizes us to God’s Presence.

“In all their distress He too was distressed, and the angel of His presence saved them. In His love and mercy He redeeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” Isaiah 63:9 NIV.

In a world with so much noise and social media, and instant sound, it is so hard to get away with God. We need a silent night every once in a while. We need a Holy night. We need a time to just praise God and reflect on all He had done for us. It is in taking these type of moments that we can become sensitive to His nearness.

He still is Emmanuel. He really is God with us. He gets distress when we are distress. His angel of His presence still saves us. God still redeeems us in love and mercy. And He still lifts us up and carries us.

What can you do to become more sensitive to God’s Presence?