In receiving the Lord Jesus into herself, Mary's first impulse was not to rest content and keep this gift for herself. Instead, she went out to see her cousin Elizabeth, hearing from the angel that she would be in need of help. Mary made a dangerous and inconvenient journey from Nazareth - a 90 mile trip - to serve the needs of her cousin who was also with child.
To receive the Lord Jesus into our lives is to respond in the same way as Mary did. It is to go outward and find others who are in need of our help and care. It is to serve the needs of others, even if it is inconvenient or dangerous. To be a Christian is not to pursue our own self-interest or make decisions based upon our comfort and convenience. To be a Christian is to receive the Lord within us and to serve others.
The Lord Jesus has already come among us and is already within each one of us. It merely remains for us to respond to his presence within us, to go outward and to serve those in need wherever we find them, wherever we hear God calling us to serve them - just as Mary did. To be visited by God is to be invited to visit others and bring God's presence to them.
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