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Luke 1:56 “And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.”

   Luke alone records the trip to Elizabeth’s. So, he is our only source for this timeline. It seems as if Mary left just before John was born. We don’t know for sure as Luke is somewhat ambiguous on this. She may have been there for it, but if she was, she left shortly thereafter.

Heavenly Father, make us a blessing to our family and friends. We love You, and we can love them with Your love, not just our love. We should be a comfort to them, as they are to us. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:55 “As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

   It would be hard to overestimate the importance of the relationship between God and men like Abraham. His relationship with just one individual can have a profound effect on many others.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being gracious and willing to have a relationship with us. There is nothing so important to us as our relationship with You. You are worthy of all praise! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:54 “He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,”

   God’s work among mankind is historical. In other words, there is a direction He is moving in. It is not simply a function of His eternal state. He has a specific goal He is after with this world.
   In remembrance of His mercy is expressed here because all that God does today has root in yesterday. He does what He does because He did what He did. Human circumstances don’t cause His actions, His actions cause His actions. He reacts on the basis of His work throughout the ages, not the minor detail of today.

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for how You interact with us. Our shortcomings will never make You quit. We will never change Your nature. Blessed be Your Name! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:53 “He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.”

   This theme is found throughout the New Testament. The poor and less fortunate are given a lot of consolation. And, this is not inconsistent with the teachings of Christ, for He clearly ministered to all of the economic classes.

Heavenly Father, we praise You for taking up the cause of the oppressed, poor, and lonely. You are full of mercy, and Your love is perfect. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:52 “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.”

   Though man questions His ways, God has the final say in all things. There is no mighty one whom God is not able to bring low. He has all of the power, and He will have His way.
   The Lord exalts the lowly because it brings glory to Him.

Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your mighty strength! How can we thank You enough for caring for those of low estate? You are loving, wise, and kind. Thank you so much! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:51 “He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.”

  This reference to the arm of the Lord is authentic, and very Jewish. The Old Testament reveals it is by the Lord’s arm that He brought the Israelites out of Egypt. Though God’s power is unlimited, He helps us understand it in human terms. Men often measure their strength by their arms. So, God’s strength is illustrated by His arm.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your strength. It is a great comfort to us. It is good to know that the One Who has all of the strength is also the Holy and Just One. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:50 “And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.”

   God has mercy on those who are sensitive to sin. Those who fear the Lord are those who actually care about how God views their actions. Many may pretend to serve God, but assume that they are good because they serve. The true recipients of mercy are those who believe they need it most.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy! May we desire it, for we need it so much! We will praise You for all that You have done. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:49 “For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.”

   Holy is His Name! He Who is the Mighty One has indeed done great things! This should be the testimony of all of God’s people. Though we may think He has not done for us what He did for Mary, we are forgetting the miracle of salvation. The babe was not just for the young virgin of Israel. He is for every one of us His people, Jew and Gentile alike.

Heavenly Father, Holy is Your Name! You are the Mighty One! May we never forget what You have done for us. Your works are glorious and Your wisdom is limitless. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:48 “For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.”

   That is how the Lord is. He uses the weak of this world. He calls the low to teach the high. He makes those who man has snubbed his leaders and ministers.
  But this verse does not mean we must consider ‘Blessed’ as a title for Mary. Anyone who has been a recipient of God’s amazing Grace is blessed. Mary was just stating the simple fact of the matter.

Heavenly Father, thank You for using the weak things of the world to confound the wise. You’re ways are always best. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:47 “And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”

   Mary here states a doctrinal truth that the ancient Jews understood well. Unfortunately, we tend to miss it nowadays. God is not our Savior because Jesus died on the cross. Jesus died on the cross because God is our Savior.
   Being the Savior is an attribute of God, just like holiness or justice. The Father sent the Son because He is good. The cross work of Christ is the means by which God has saved us. But God has always been the Savior. Otherwise, Noah would never have found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Heavenly Father, thank You for saving us! Your glorious attributes amaze us. Because we live in an evil world, it is hard for us to remember that You are always only good. We are not used to that, but we know it is true. You are worthy of our praise! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.