ZPCBlog

About the author: Val Lindenschmidt has been attending ZPC for 20+ years. She and her husband John consider ZPC their "Faith Family." They have 3 grown children, one daughter-in-law, an amazing grandson, and two unruly dogs. She has served in many capacities through the years including Elder, Mission Commission, Personnel Team, Presbytery Representative, Nursery Volunteer, and Home Group Leader. 

Luke 1:41-42, New Living Translation

At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.

I have always loved this piece of the Jesus story. I, too, was a young mother and relied heavily on the wisdom of those around me. I can relate to Mary’s excitement AND her being unsure. Earlier in the passage it says she ‘hurried’ to visit Elizabeth when she learned they were both pregnant. She must have needed the encouragement and insight of her older relative in those moments of uncertainty.

The passage says that when Mary greeted her cousin the child in her womb ‘leaped.’ It doesn’t say moved; it says ‘leaped.’ What a beautiful moment for Mary and Elizabeth to experience together. Then it says Elizabeth was ‘filled with the Holy Spirit.’ This sign wasn’t about being excited to see her younger cousin–it was a Holy Moment–and they knew it. They both recognized and acknowledged the presence of the divine in the ordinary!

I wonder how often I pay attention to routine happenings and overlook the presence of the Holy Spirit in my daily life. I try to slow down and recognize the blessings in my every day. I also fail more than I succeed. If the Holy Spirit is present in or near me, do I recognize it? Or am I too busy rushing through my list of to-dos to see the extraordinary? In one Bible translation (the Message) it says that the baby in her womb ‘skipped like a lamb for sheer joy.’ Now that is a visual I can aspire to!

I pray this season is filled with moments of sheer joy and that you witness the Holy Spirit in your ordinary.

Dear Lord,
Help me to slow down and experience YOU this Advent season. Help me to take my quiet moments and lift them to you for blessing. Help me to remember that you are in the everyday moments of life and that is something to celebrate. Remind me Lord, every time I work on my lists of to-do’s this season, that you’ve already completed the most important thing. Jesus was born unto us! Help me to not take you for granted- but to mentally LEAP for JOY and the incredible gift of your son.
Amen 

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