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Sunday - Shared Joy

Dec 14, 2025

WEEK THREE - JOY

By Darlene Cox • Crossroads for Her

Shared Joy

Luke 1:39-45 •

"39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Joy is often confused with happiness. Happiness comes from people, places, and

things. Joy comes from an encounter with the living God.

In today’s Scripture reading, we see true joy revealed in Elizabeth through an encounter

with the Spirit of God.

Luke 1:41 – “And it happened, when Elizabeth

heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in

her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy

Spirit.”

Elizabeth and Mary shared great joy with one another for several reasons. They were both

carrying boys who would change the course of history. Elizabeth was pregnant with John,

who would become John the Baptist and baptize Jesus. Mary was carrying the Savior of

the world. They were both very pregnant— physically and spiritually—with the joy of the

Lord.

What a beautiful example of shared joy!

Shared joy comes from a mutual excitement for

a significant moment.

At Crossroads for Her Ministry, we experience many joy of these moments. We see shared

within our house of residents when a new lady recognizes God’s great love for her.

The joy continues as we read God’s Word daily and watch the Scriptures begin to transform helped to speak it into being by her will to do God’s will and to become what He wanted her to be. She had just said “Yes!” God would bring it to pass.

Mary’s “Yes” was what the angel had come for.

He took it and was gone! Now she was alone.

What should she do now? Who would believe

what she had just seen, heard, felt, said, and

received—and yes, conceived? Her parents?

Joseph? Friends? Her priest? Should she even

tell? Could she even put it into words?

Then the Spirit’s voice came:

“But Mary! Remember the last thing the angel

told you before he departed? About your

distant relative, Elizabeth? Follow the clue! Go!

Look for the treasure! Find her!”