Characters at the Cradle: Mary and Elizabeth, “Blessed are You”

by David Chadwick

Mary and Elizabeth had a very special relationship. They were cousins. They were pregnant at the same time, Elizabeth with John and Mary with Jesus. Both of their pregnancies were supernatural in nature. Both of them were very blessed. Today, we see how extra significant Elizabeth’s honor was for her cousin Mary.

Let’s take a look at Luke 1:42-44.

Mary travelled from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth. If you remember yesterday, when she entered Elizabeth’s home, the baby John leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Then Elizabeth proclaimed to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

Notice Elizabeth’s posture as a great woman of God. She took a position of humility. She didn’t start talking about her situation and what had happened to Zechariah in the temple. Nor how great it was for her personal prayers to have been answered.

No, she immediately humbled herself before her cousin, Mary. This scene is almost a preview to John 3:30 when Elizabeth’s child, John, would go on to say that he must decrease and Jesus must increase! John was raised by a good and godly mom who was humble before her God as well. Elizabeth knew her place in God's story and took the lower seat.

She referred to Mary not as her cousin or her friend, but as “the mother of my Lord.” Somehow, Elizabeth knew that this child in Mary’s womb was her Lord! The Savior of the world. Could it be that God shared very special things with Elizabeth during her quiet months of pregnancy? It’s certainly possible.

Elizabeth knew that Mary held a special place in God’s heart and that he chose her to carry his Son, our Savior, in her womb. He chose Mary to raise this child in the wisdom and admonition of the Lord. Before Jesus ever went to the cross or was raised from the dead, the power of the Gospel was so very real to both Mary and Elizabeth!

We will continue the story tomorrow!