A Friend Who Understands

• If God gave you an awesome assignment, who would be the first person you would tell? Why?

• What would you say to a friend who told you she was being led by God to do something extraordinary?

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Luke 1:45

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her what God was going to do, he mentioned Elizabeth, Mary’s much older cousin. Elizabeth was well past her childbearing years. Yet she was pregnant—miraculously, as Mary was.

Mary went straight to Elizabeth’s house to share her extraordinary news. She didn’t need to. As soon as she arrived, the baby inside Elizabeth, John the Baptist, leapt in her womb. In that instant, the Holy Spirit revealed everything to Elizabeth, and she celebrated joyfully with Mary. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months before returning home to prepare for the Savior’s birth.

What an amazing gift God gave Mary—someone to empathize with her and share her struggles. Someone who knew a lot about what she was going through. Someone who would encourage her when she started to get anxious. Mary knew she had a big responsibility ahead of her. She needed support from a trusted friend. She got it from Elizabeth.

What friends has God has put in our lives? Where would we be without them? This Christmas season, let’s thank God for his gift of friends. And let’s thank our friends for their godly support.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for bringing people into our lives who encourage us to grow in our spiritual life and be faithful to your plan. Give us the wisdom we need to do the same for our friends. Amen.