“As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” — Luke 1:44
This week of Advent, we are embracing the theme of joy. Joy is not merely the same as happiness; it is a vital part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is rooted and grounded, both tenacious and tender.
In a powerful demonstration of the personhood of a preborn baby, we see in Luke 1:39-45 that when Mary visited Elizabeth, both of whom were pregnant, the preborn John leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb as they greeted one another. Baby John shared in the joy of the greeting, even before birth!
Young Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, hurried to visit her older cousin Elizabeth, who was carrying John the Baptist. The joy that these women experienced in their fellowship was mirrored by the responses of their preborn babies.
This scene beautifully illustrates the personhood, dignity, and worth of a preborn baby, as John expressed emotion within his mother’s womb at that moment. The act of greeting and being in the presence of Jesus brought immense joy. Similarly, our time spent in the presence of Jesus can also bring us great joy. In Jude 1:24, we read, “To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.”
It is important to note that this joy does not overlook our vulnerabilities, brokenness, or hardships. Instead, it is a joy that enters into our humanity through the presence of the Lord, offering us security.
This Advent season, may you experience joy more richly than ever before! As a Church, may we abide in the presence of Jesus and invite others to join us so that together we can walk in joy, as image bearers of Christ, regardless of our age, status, or position.
