Light in the WaitingMary Visits Elizabeth
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Have you ever had happy news you could not wait to share with someone you love?
The illustrated story
Listen to the story
Read aloud with a generated voice, so little ones can follow along.
Read the story
Not long after the angel Gabriel visited her, Mary packed a few things for a journey. The angel had told her something wonderful about her relative Elizabeth. Elizabeth was much older than Mary, and for many years she had not been able to have a baby. But now, the angel said, she was expecting a son.
So Mary set out. She walked the long road into the hill country of Judea, past olive trees and stone villages and fields turning gold in the sun. Her heart was full. She carried a secret too big to keep to herself.
At last she reached the house of Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband. Mary stepped inside and called out a greeting.
The moment Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the baby inside her leaped for joy. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she cried out with a loud, happy voice:
“You are blessed among women, Mary, and the baby you carry is blessed too! Why am I so honoured that the mother of my Lord should come to visit me? As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby jumped for joy!”
Then Elizabeth said something that made Mary’s heart glow:
“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Luke 1:45
Mary had trusted God when she did not understand everything. Now God was showing her, through her own family, that every word He had said was true.
Mary’s heart overflowed, and she began to sing and praise God. “My soul praises the Lord,” she said, “and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. He has looked on me, His humble servant. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name.”
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. The two women talked and prayed, laughed and waited together. One was young and one was old, and both were waiting for a baby God had promised. While they waited, they encouraged each other to keep trusting Him.
Waiting can feel long. But God was keeping His promises the whole time, and joy began to grow before the babies were even born.
What we learn
God keeps His promises. We can encourage one another while we wait, and joy can grow even before the answer arrives.
Family prayer
Dear God, thank You for keeping Your promises. Help us encourage one another and trust You while we wait. Amen.
A verse to remember
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!
Luke 1:45
Say it together a few times, then see who can say it alone.
Talk about it together
- Why did Mary go to visit Elizabeth?
- What happened when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting?
- How can we trust God while we wait?
Read it in the Bible: Luke 1:39–56.
Questions or a message for us?
If you have a question about this story, or you would like to share how your family used it, write to [email protected]. We love hearing from readers.
