Characters at the Cradle: Mary and Elizabeth, Pondering with Wonder

by David Chadwick

This week, we have looked at Mary and Elizabeth, two characters at the cradle who loved one another deeply and who both played a significant role in ushering in the birth of Jesus to this world.

These two women were full of faith and chose to play their part in God’s redeeming story with the utmost humility. They are both to be admired and respected. Especially Mary, as the mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world.

Today, I would like to wrap up our week by focusing on one more specific insight to Elizabeth and Mary’s relationship.

Imagine for a moment what it must have been like for Mary and Elizabeth to share their stories about the angelic visitation. Elizabeth waited for years, even decades, for the promise of a child to come true. She had been hoping for a child. But for Mary, she was a virgin, so her news was startling. It came out of nowhere. She had to fully hear and accept what had been said to her by Gabriel.

Knowing the role that Gabriel played in Old Testament prophecies to foreshadow the coming of the Messiah, it could be that Mary and Elizabeth were both pondering the significance and greatness of Gabriel’s appearance to each of them.

I bet they chatted back and forth with questions like, “Why me? Why us? Why cousins? What does the future hold? And for the nation of Israel?” Neither one of them knew all the answers, but both women gladly accepted what God had chosen to do. They embodied lives of full surrender.

And don’t forget Zechariah. Surely, he was there as the two cousins chatted. While unable to speak up, I am sure he listened to Mary’s story with his own sense of wonder. With a heart of worship. With utter fascination. Full of humility. Fascinated once again by grace and more aware than ever of the salvation that was about to come through this child soon to be born.

With every passing word, Zechariah probably thought about the first words he would speak when his son and Mary’s child were eventually born. It would now only be a few more months.

May we, too, ponder with wonder of our awesome God! May we cherish the power of the gospel once again. Oh, how great is our God!