JourneyOnline
Recently, I journeyed to Thailand with my family. With all the complications of a COVID world, there were added fears for the trip. Would I get COVID at the last minute and have to cancel? Would I get COVID while we were in Thailand and have to extend my stay? Would my suitcase transit safely through a brief stopover and get to our destination with me?
The airline had booked us to transit through Singapore with only 50 minutes allowed to make the second flight – would we make it OK? Fortunately, all these fears were laid to rest, and my family was there, travelling with me and supporting me. This week our theme is: Who is on the journey with you? As we prepare for Christmas, we are going to take the time to think about who is journeying with us. I’ve written the story of Mary visiting Elizabeth in my own words.
I tried to see it through Elizabeth’s eyes, as though Elizabeth was telling me: “I’ve been staying in the quiet seclusion of our home in the Judean hills ever since I knew I was pregnant. I can’t face the gossiping tongues here, especially with Zechariah so suddenly struck dumb after his temple service time. After many years of frustrated longing, my heart was so thankful to the Lord as I thought of the child growing within me. The Lord has taken away my lifelong disgrace; I am no longer a shamed woman – and fancy this amazing gift at my age. And what a tremendous surprise when my cousin, Mary, knocked on the door, travel-stained and out of breath in her excitement. An even bigger surprise – my son leapt with joy in my womb when Mary came into the house. And suddenly, I knew, just as though the Lord was telling me, powerfully and with certainty, with great inner joy, that Mary too had been blessed, yet even more amazing than I had. For she carries in her womb God’s son. God’s son! How incredibly blessed we are!”
This is the God who journeys with us, for Jesus has promised, “I am with you always.”
