Mary Visits Elizabeth

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” — Luke 1:46–47

After the angel’s visit, Mary got ready and hurried off on a journey. She went south to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived.

When Mary arrived, she went into Zechariah’s house and called out a greeting to Elizabeth.

As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the baby inside her leaped for joy! And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

“God has blessed you more than any other woman,” Elizabeth called out in a loud voice, “and blessed is the child you will have! Why am I so honoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to visit me? As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby inside me jumped for joy! You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.”

Nobody had told Elizabeth about Mary’s baby. But God had shown her. Even John, before he was born, was glad that Jesus was coming!

Then Mary sang a song of praise to God. It’s sometimes called “the Magnificat”, from the first word in Latin.

“My soul magnifies the Lord,” Mary sang,
“and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour!
He has noticed me, His humble servant.
From now on, everyone will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me.
Holy is His name.
He shows mercy to everyone who honours Him.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
and lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His people Israel,
remembering to be merciful,
just as He promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary’s song is about how God turns things upside down. He doesn’t choose the proud and powerful people. He chooses humble, ordinary people, like a young girl from Nazareth, and does great things through them. And Mary knew that God was keeping the promise He made to Abraham, all those years ago.

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. Then she went back home to Nazareth.

The promise kept: Mary sang that God was keeping His promise “to Abraham and his descendants forever” (Luke 1:55). Do you remember the night God took Abraham outside and told him to count the stars? Now the promised child was on His way.

Read it in your Bible: Luke 1:39–56

Dear God, my soul magnifies you, and my spirit rejoices in you, my Saviour! Thank you that you notice humble, ordinary people and do great things for them. Amen.