By Not Known
“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promises to her!” Luke 1:45
The word “believed” can be viewed simply by believers as putting trust in something or someone. The Bible explains that believing in Jesus involves the mind, the heart as well as outward actions, such as the confession of the lips. For Paul in Rom. 10:9-10 wrote, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” When we believe in the Gospel, an unseen spiritual dimension takes place—spiritual blessings and indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:3-10).
Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist mentioned Mary, mother of Jesus in Luke 1:45, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Mary believed the good news proclaimed by the archangel Gabriel that she will be conceived by the Holy Spirit. Her faith is greatly honoured and God’s promise of sending a Saviour is fulfilled. Mary is blessed by God who protected her from disgrace and danger, her faith and name are known and honoured throughout history.
Abraham is another great example of faith. He believed in God’s promises and abundant blessings came upon his descendants. He waited over a decade for the heir to his inheritance. In Gen. 15:6, he was told that because of his belief in God’s promises, he was credited or blessed with righteousness. In other words, God counted Abraham as worthy of His salvation. Paul quoted Rom. 4:3, “What does Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Abraham inherited the land of Canaan and was blessed with many descendants, Rom. 4:18, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” More importantly, Abraham was blessed with a unique relationship with God that was so special and important in his life time.
God’s promises for Abraham came true after more than a decade of waiting. Waiting for the Lord’s answer is a good exercise of our faith. Waiting purifies our thought. It helps us to pray and seek God’s guidance, to be sure that our plan is in alignment with God’s will. Through time, God tests our hearts and our relationship with Him.
Indeed, when we believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, we are blessed with many spiritual blessings and we have Jesus our intimate and precious Friend.