J.C. Ryle's Devotional Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke
Section 7
Mary's Visit to Elizabeth
Luke 1, verses 39-45

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste into a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb, And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

We should observe in this passage the benefit of fellowship and communion between believers. We read of a visit paid by Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. We're told in a striking manner how the hearts of both of these holy women were cheered and their minds lifted up by this interview. Without this visit, Elizabeth might never have been so filled with the Holy Spirit as we are here told she was, and Mary might never have uttered that song of praise which is now known all over the Church of Christ.

The words of an old divine are deep and true. Happiness communicated doubles itself. Grief grows greater by concealing. Joy grows greater by expression. We should always regard communion with other believers as an eminent means of grace. It is a refreshing break in our journey along the narrow way, to exchange experience with our fellow travelers. It helps us insensibly, and it helps them, and so it is a mutual gain. It is the nearest approach that we can make on earth to the joy of heaven. As iron sharpens iron, so does the countenance of a man his friend.

We need reminding of this. The subject does not receive sufficient attention, and the souls of believers suffer in consequence. There are many who fear the Lord and think upon His name, and yet forget to speak often one to another. Malachi 3.16 First, let us seek the face of God. Then, let us seek the face of God's friends. If we did this more, and were more careful about the company we keep, we would oftener know what it is to feel filled with the Holy Spirit. We should observe in this passage the clear spiritual knowledge which appears in the language of Elizabeth. She uses an expression about Mary which shows that she herself was deeply taught of God. She calls her the mother of my Lord. These words, my lord, are so familiar to our ears that we miss the fullness of their meaning. At the time they were spoken they implied far more than we are apt to suppose. They were nothing less than a distinct declaration that the child who was to be born of Mary was the long-promised Messiah, the Lord of whom David in spirit had prophesied, the Christ of God.

Viewed in this light, the expression is a wonderful example of faith. It is a confession worthy to be placed by the side of that of Peter, when he said to Jesus, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Let us remember the deep meaning of the words, the Lord, and beware of using them lightly and carelessly. Let us consider that they rightly apply to none but Him who was crucified for our sins on Calvary. Let the recollection of this fact invest the words with a holy reverence, and make us careful how we let them fall from our lips. There are two texts connected with the expression which should often come to our minds. In one it is written No man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit in the other it is written Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father 1st Corinthians chapter 12 verse 3 and Philippians chapter 2 verse 11

Finally, we should observe in these verses the high praise which Elizabeth bestows upon the grace of faith. Blessed, she says, is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. We need not wonder that this holy woman should thus commend faith. No doubt she was well acquainted with the Old Testament scriptures. She knew the great things that faith had done in the past.

The whole history of God's saints in every age is but a record of men and women who obtained a good report, by faith. The simple story of all, from Abel downwards, is but a narrative of redeemed sinners who believed and so were blessed. By faith, they embraced promises. By faith, they lived. By faith, they walked. By faith, they endured hardships. By faith, they looked to an unseen Savior and good things yet to come. By faith, they battled with the world, the flesh, and the devil. By faith, they overcame and got safely home to heaven.

Of this goodly company, Mary was proving herself one. No wonder that Elizabeth said, Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.

Do we know anything of this precious faith? This, after all, is the question which concerns us. Do we know anything of the faith of God's elect, the faith which is the working of God? Let us never rest until we know it by experience. Once knowing it, let us never cease to pray that our faith may grow exceedingly. Better a thousand times to be rich in faith than rich in gold. Gold will be worthless in the eternal world to which we are all traveling. Faith will be owned in that world before God the Father and the holy angels.

When the great white throne is set, and the books are opened, when the dead are called from their graves and receiving their final sentence, the value of saving faith will then be fully known. Men will learn then, if they never learned before, how true are the words, blessed are those who believed. you