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What happens when God’s promises feel delayed, distant, or difficult to trust?  Today we journey through Luke 1:35–55 and discover how God’s faithfulness in the past gives us confidence to trust His promises for the future — leading us to behave like we truly believe God’s promises are true.

On this Mother’s Day we remember 2 examples of Mommas who modeled what it means to live Trusting God’s Promises.

Depending our her route, Mary’s journey from Nazareth down to Judea would likely have taken 3-4 days - at least 80-100 miles. It’s there that God gives her evidence that His promises are true.

LUKE 1:41-45

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

How does Elizabeth KNOW who Mary is carrying in her womb? The Holy Spirit who filled her had revealed this to her. Out of all the women in the world, this young girl from Nazareth is the most blessed among all women of all time.

Think about the significance of this - the older cousin calls her younger cousin the mother of my Lord - Elizabeth doesn’t know this because of Mary’s belly - because Mary isn’t showing yet. Mary hasn’t told her anything yet. But the Holy Spirit who has filled Elizabeth has told her. Elizabeth, like most Jews, would make a trip to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship the Lord - the place where the Holy of holies is - the place where God’s presence was considered to be most powerful ...but NOW...the Lord comes to her! 

Elizabeth completes her blessing to Mary with these words:

Mary believed what the angel said. 

• Do WE believe that the Lord will fulfill His promises to US?

These following powerful words of praise are often referred to as the “Magnificat,” coming from the Latin for the phrase My soul magnifies the Lord at the hymn’s start. Mary’s prayer of praise is similar to the prayer of Hannah, whom we saw in 1 Samuel 2:1.

Mary is a humble servant grateful for God’s grace to her. Mary is righteous, but NOT self-righteous. Mary is quick to give God the credit for what He has done. This is why God has chosen her. Mary understands the story is bigger than she is.

She is not the star of the show - GOD is. 

Long before Gabriel’s visitation or Elizabeth’s encouraging words, Mary heard the stories of God’s faithfulness in the past and her prayer to Him that is overflowing with Old Testament teachings.

Mary had no personal copy of the Scriptures like WE have, but God’s words & works saturated her soul!!!

Her words echo those of Hannah’s prayers (1 Sam. 1:11; 2:1–10) as well as prayers throughout the Law, Prophets, & Psalms. This young girl had a deep appreciation for God’s Word.

• Oh that we would read & treasure God’s Words as Mary did!
• Mary knew of the many times God had extended mercy to those who feared Him - Adam & Eve (covering their sin), Abraham & Sarah - giving them a child, Joseph - betrayed and sold into slavery by his own brothers.
• Mary knew of the Exodus & how God miraculously rescued the Jews from 430 years of slavery. Do YOU know of those things?
• Mary knew how God overthrew powerful kingdoms, raised up & destroyed mighty kings, & how God honored His humble servants. Have you listened or read of those truths?
• Is that WHY some of us don’t trust God with the future - because we don’t know or believe what God has done in the past?

Mary KNEW her God and TRUSTED His promises.

Mary was BEHAVING like she BELIEVED God’s promises could be trusted - including the ONE growing in her belly. The ULTIMATE PROMISE from God was about to be fulfilled - the Messiah - the Lord - was about to be born as a human being!

• Do you believe God promises to extend mercy to those who fear Him? To show grace to the humble - and do you believe God promises destruction to those who are arrogant & don’t fear Him? 

Mary could trust God with the future, because she knew of His faithfulness in the past. She was grateful for what was about to happen...even though it hadn’t happened yet. 

As Elizabeth noted of Mary, “Blessed is the person who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises…” (Lk 1:45)

• God has made followers of Jesus promises that we have yet to see fulfilled: 
• Your Sin is forgiven. Sometimes we still FEEL guilty for sin in our rear view mirror. Will you trust your feelings that change like the wind or trust God’s promises which are true? 
• Jesus will never leave you alone…...even when you can’t feel Him. He has promised you His presence. Will you trust your feelings or God’s promises? 
• Jesus will return. His people have been waiting for 2000 years...and could be waiting much longer. Jesus promised to return and restore all things so we BELIEVE the words the Lord has promised and live like He will return.
• Will you Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true?

Check your life this week: Words, Actions, Thoughts, Attitudes, Relationships... If WE believed WE were REALLY forgiven,

we REALLY believed He was with us, We REALLY believed Jesus will return! What would THAT look like this week?

• PRAY & READ SCRIPTURES. Don’t dodge time with God. Make an appointment and keep it!
• OBEY - alone & among others. Make time to fellowship with His people beyond just this event!
• SHARE. Others need to hear about the forgiveness & faithfulness of Jesus!