A few days earlier she had had the strangest visit from Gabriel. Hearing that her cousin was also expecting a child, Mary went to see Elizabeth. It was during this encounter that Elizabeth stated:
You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said. (Luke 1:45, NLT)
There would be many wonderful blessings for Mary as the mother of Jesus. However, there would be much heartache too. In fact, when Joseph and Mary took Jesus to be dedicated in the temple, the prophet Simon forewarned Mary that her child would pierce her heart (Luke 2:35). So playing the role of Jesus’ earthly mother was a mixed bag for Mary.
However, Elizabeth’s blessing could not, would not be impacted by the earthly events involving Christ. “Blessed” in this verse means to be “exceedingly happy” or “in an enviable position.” And notice carefully that Mary’s blessed position was the result of only one thing – she believed God would do what He said He would do through Gabriel’s message.
Friends, genuine happiness is not found in acquiring stuff. It’s not even in having children and a family (as wonderful as they are), nor in having a successful career, etc. No, true happiness results from believing the promises of God. It’s called faith – and without it, there is no lasting joy or happiness. –Dave
(To receive these free daily devotions via email, subscribe at: https://theteachableheart.com/classrooms-%26-devotions. For more information about the ministry, or to order the devotional books, visit: https://theteachableheart.com/books.)
The Teachable Heart blog 