Bible Studies

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The Songs
Luke 1:39-45 – The Candle of Believing
Key Verses: (NRSV)

• 39-40: “In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” – Imagine the thoughts and feelings that were racing through this young teenager’s mind. She took immediate action, “with haste,” in order to put these amazing events into perspective. Perhaps she felt Elizabeth would help. Maybe she simply felt she needed to do something. Mostly, however, she probably felt she needed time to ponder.
  
  
• 41: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” – God finds ways to affirm our faith.
  
  
• 42: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” – There were many reasons Elizabeth could have reacted negatively to Mary’s news: jealousy, condescension, worry, anxiety, concern… Instead, she chooses to rejoice and look towards a future filled with hope.
  
  
• 45: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” – Above all things, Mary is blessed because of her belief.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Do you take time to ponder? When you find yourself in confusing and complex circumstances, do you try to pull yourself out of the situation in order to gain new perspective and understanding? Do you turn to friends and family for support? Do you recognize that many times, the quicker you do this the better you will be able to resolve the situation? Consider what may have occurred with Mary had she chosen to stay at home to deal with the news of her pregnancy. Would she have received the support she needed? Would she have been able to the gain understanding and insight she needed? Would she have rejoiced?
  
  
• Do you share in the joy of others? Or do you over-analyze the situation? Elizabeth set aside her feelings and focus towards her own miracle pregnancy to fully rejoice in Mary’s news. When your life is filled with joys and concerns, how easy is it for you to set them aside and listen to the needs of others? Are you able to listen or do you simply search for ways to turn the focus back towards yourself? Are you able to rejoice over the good fortune of others or do you allow jealousy, envy, and selfishness to temper your reactions?
  
  
• Are you blessed because of your belief? Does God have a reward system in place? Do blessings from God flow more abundantly the more your faith in Him grows? If this concept seems a bit too altruistic consider it in this way: Does your unbelief interfere with receiving the blessings that God has in store for you? Can you see that the more you are focused on God’s will for your life the more you will be able to recognize His loving presence is everything you do? Will you allow God to free you from the earthly issues that cause you worry and concern? As you grow in your belief and faith in God are you able to see and recognize His love that is abundantly available to you?
  

Promises of the Gospel:

The faith and belief of Mary and Elizabeth illustrate how abundantly God’s love fills our lives when we are able to set aside the barriers of unbelief and doubt. Issues of concern, worry, and anxiety are erased through the belief that God’s plan for us is good. The more we are able to focus on the abundance of God’s love in our lives, the more we are able to love and support one another in times of need. God’s love is the key to opening the joy in our lives; a joy we can find in all circumstances and with all people. Through the recognition and belief that God loves us, blessings will flow.

For this fourth week in Advent, we light the Candle of Believing.

FUMC Devotionals

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