At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
Luke 1:41-44

Caregivers spend a good bit of time in waiting rooms. Actual ones, and spiritual ones.

About this time last year, I was in an emergency room with our daughter Carly. She had taken a bad fall. By the indentation and laceration on her forehead, we worried about a skull fracture. As our waiting in the hospital lobby grew past two hours, I kept praying God would protect her from anything serious and all of us from the obvious germs all around. Minnesota was in the midst of an RSV outbreak at the time and the ER was jammed with very sick children and adults. Our oldest daughter’s wedding was one week away, and I felt vulnerable for my family.

As the waiting neared two hours, it became time for a bathroom break. While Carly and I were navigating the restroom stall, she lost her balance and went down hard, hitting the outside edge of her eyebrow on the corner of the toilet. A goose egg and bruise emerged immediately, but not faster than my heartbreak.

I was frazzled, discouraged, and even more nervous. She hadn’t even triaged yet and now she had a second injury. I was grateful Carly’s friend was with us. Her presence offered appreciated morale support.

Even more valued were frequent texts from Larry which gave me a powerful sense of his prayerful partnership. Even when he is physically distanced from me for work travel or other reasons, the sense of companionship I share with him in life has calmed my fears and pointed me back to Jesus. Parenting Carly has been complicated and confusing. We appreciate reassurances from each other about where our Supreme help and hope come from.

When Mary discovered she was pregnant with Jesus, I imagine her future felt confusing and complicated. I admire her quick trust. She offered all-in surrender to God’s plan. Even still, she must have gained powerful comfort from spending three months with her aunt Elizabeth, who was also pregnant.

Elizabeth was one of the very first people who knew the truth about Mary’s pregnancy (Luke 1:39-45). Though Elizabeth’s circumstances were quite different, she had been given miraculous news too. When Mary arrived newly pregnant, Elizabeth was already several months along, carrying the boy she had waited a lifetime to conceive. Elizabeth’s son would later be known as John the Baptist (Luke 1:13).

Elizabeth understood what it was like to wait for God to answer prayers and questions. She was beyond child-bearing years, too old to be pregnant. Yet the miracle of her own womb and faith in her Lord equipped her to bring great encouragement to Mary. In the presence of Elizabeth’s understanding and cherishing, Mary immediately responded with joy and praise to God (Luke 1:46-55).

These women were like “walking partners” in unique parenting circumstances. Both had confidence that God is faithful — each had to wait in seeing the timing and ways of God brought to wonderful completion. Surely they brought much-appreciated encouragement to each other. Yet their anchoring reliance was on God for the full revelation and understanding to come.

May we experience such faith-bolstering relationships. And may we be that kind of encouraging spouse and friend to others too.

Lord, waiting is hard. You know about all the things I am waiting for — help, healing, hope, and more. Thank you for the things You teach me while I’m waiting. Thank you for being my ultimate source of comfort while I’m waiting. Thank you that I do have some friends, family, and the church to be present alongside me during waiting seasons. These people are among my life’s most precious gifts. Thank you for creating within me a God-designed need for friendship. Please cultivate satisfying and quality friendships in my life, and keep teaching me how to be a great friend to others. At the same time, help me to accept that no human relationships will fully satisfy. Thank you that I never wait alone. You are ever near, accessible, and intimate with me. Even though I will have valued friends, Lord, I want my anchoring reliance to be on You. AMEN

Related: Listen to this lovely rendition to Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.

Lisa Jamieson is an author, speaker, special needs family advocate, and ordained pastoral counselor. She is co-founder of Walk Right In Ministries where she trains and counsels family caregivers to walk abundantly in life, faith, and relationships. Lisa and her husband, Larry, live in Minnesota with the youngest of their three grown daughters, Carly, who has Angelman Syndrome.

NOTE: I am thankful to Francine Rivers’ book The Family of Jesus for inspiring this Christmas series. Check it out if you want to dig deeper into history-changing people in Jesus’ family.