Mary's Great Expectation

Scripture
Luke 1:39-44
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

Reading
After Mary received the news from the Angel Gabriel that she would be the Mother of God she departed from Nazareth and began a four day journey towards the hill country of Judea. With this news freshly in her mind, I’m sure that new revelation went from simple anticipation of the fulfillment of her new found role, to an ever increasing feeling of excitement.

Given that the journey to Judea would have been a dangerous one, she was probably accompanied by others in a caravan. However, it is certain that she would need to keep this news to herself. No one was to know. How would she explain her pregnancy given that she was not married? She could never tell them what Gabriel told her, that the Holy Spirit had caused her to be pregnant! This news was too wonderful and amazing to share!

By the time that she arrived at Elizabeth’s house, Mary must have been bubbling with excitement. Yet, before she was able to tell Elizabeth the good news something happened which served as a prophetic first. John the Baptist, who we later find out is the forerunner of Jesus, fulfills that calling even while in his mother’s womb by leaping with joy confirming that Jesus was the Messiah to come. This experience confirmed the message that was given by Gabriel to Mary.

While the aforementioned story tells about Mary’s excitement regarding the first coming of the Messiah, believers today should also have a similar anticipation and excitement for Jesus’ second coming. Many times in the New Testament, Scripture exhorts us to look for His coming. This coming will be sudden and unexpected, but when it happens it will be most glorious. However, it is important to understand that the second coming will be much different than the first. In His first coming He came as a poor person unknown to many people. But when Jesus comes back he will be "coming in clouds with great power and glory.” This should fill our hearts with anticipation and excitement that Christ is coming back soon.
Come quickly Lord Jesus!