The final scene in Luke 1.5-25 portrays Elizabeth, resting in quiet repose, expressing thanks to God, who had shown such profound favor to her. Like Sarah (Genesis 21.6), Rachel (Genesis 30.23) and the women who formed a chorus of praise for Naomi (Ruth 4.14-15), Elizabeth humbly acknowledges God's gracious intervention in allowing her to conceive, and thus removing the shame that came with being childless in her community.Why did Elizabeth seclude herself for five months? Perhaps special physical precautions were in order because of her age. The text also seems to indicate that this was time when she sought solitude, in order to process the amazing miracle that God had done in her life. In the following passage, it is the angel who reveals to Mary that her cousin is pregnant (Luke 1.36-37). Perhaps it was God's intention that the news not be made known until Mary received the annunciation.
Whatever the reason, Elizabeth is pictured here as one who had received God's wonderful work in her life and took the time to meditate on it and offer worship and thanksgiving.
Ironically, time for solitude, quiet reflection and personal worship is often hard to find in the midst of the Advent and Christmas season. Commenting on the busyness and stress of the season has become cliche, so we won't cover that ground again here. Suffice it to say that one of the most counter-cultural activities we can pursue at this time of year is that of seclusion, privacy, serenity and a quiet resting in the God who loves us and provides for us.
How can you and I order our lives so as to make room for this?
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