This post is Day 10 in a series of studies about “Surprises”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Surprises – Day 10

The presence of the Holy Spirit is evident in what happened next. We read in the following verses that Elizabeth instantly knew for the first time about the other pregnancy! Only Holy Spirit could do that sort of thing in a day when there was no electronic means of communication.

Luke 1:39-41

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zachariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Thought

This moment must have been a surprise for both women. They were joyful at seeing each other, and these verses suggest that the babies too knew what was happening, and John leapt in his mother’s womb. What an exciting moment.

The presence of Holy Spirit in that meeting is evident in what happened next. We read in the following verses that Elizabeth instantly knew for the first time about Mary’s pregnancy! Only Holy Spirit could do that sort of thing in a day when there was no electronic means of communication.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!” Luke 1:41-45.

Action

Read Luke 1:39-56 to see all that Elizabeth said in the excitement of Mary arriving, and Mary’s spontaneous Spirit-led response, often referred to as the Magnificat which is sung or read very regularly in traditional churches. Remember that Holy Spirit had not yet been given permission to move freely on the earth. That didn’t happen until after Jesus’ ascension.

Ask God today to help you to understand more of the joy there is when Holy Spirit gets involved in people’s lives. Dare to invite Him to get more involved with your life.

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