In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!”
Luke 1:42 NIV
Blessed
There are many blessings to living in Canada. Here are what some people have said about Canada: “You can’t buy happiness, but you can live in Canada. And that’s pretty much the same thing.” Preston Manning, in speaking about the beaver said, “Canada is the only country founded on the relentless pursuit of the rodent.” Howie Mandel said “I’m from Canada, so Thanksgiving to me is just Thursday with more food. And I’m thankful for that.”
***
One of the most mysterious parts of the story of the birth of Jesus took place when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth who was soon to give birth to John the Baptist. When Mary entered the room where Elizabeth was, the Bible tells us that the baby in her womb leaped. Even in the womb, John recognized that the Messiah had come. No wonder Elizabeth would go on to say this to Mary, In Luke 1:42: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” The word blessed means “filled with joy” or “fully satisfied.” We use the word so flippantly – we speak about being blessed by the smallest things in this world. But when the Bible speaks about being blessed, it speaks to being fully satisfied by being in the centre of the will of God and fulfilling perfectly God’s plan. Mary would be blessed by giving birth to the Messiah and Jesus would be blessed by giving new birth to millions of men and women around the world through His death and resurrection. We are blessed as we yield our lives to Him and experience the joy and peace that only He can give as our sins are removed.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley