Every now and again, we notice a little detail in a passage of scripture that we have read hundreds of times, and we realize that it carries more meaning than we had ever noticed. Luke tells us that after the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary, she “arose and went with haste” to visit Elizabeth (Luke 1:39). It’s one of those line I have never stopped to notice, but let’s pause to open up its world of meaning.
The distance from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea was around 80 miles. No cars. No smooth highways. No heated seats or podcasts. We’re talking about a minimum of four full days of travel, mostly uphill. Anyone making that trip in the ancient world knew it wasn’t a casual stroll. And yet Mary doesn’t hesitate. She doesn’t seem to spend much time thinking about it. She just gets up and goes.
Why? My best guess is that Mary was hungry for confirmation. Gabriel had given her a promise more astonishing than she could comprehend. She would carry the very Messiah of God, the Savior of the Hebrew people and of the world! The Holy Spirit would overshadow her. Did she understand how much her life was about to change? I assume with Gabriel’s promise came a tidal wave of uncertainty. Did that just happen? Am I sure I wasn’t dreaming? What will Joseph think? What would her family say? How do you even begin to process a calling like that?
Mary chooses to seek confirmation ASAP! And what a blessing that God had already offered to her: “Your relative Elizabeth… is in her sixth month.” That detail was such a beautiful gift of God’s grace to this young, frightened teenager. So she didn’t hesitate to embark on this 80-mile journey.
In Mary’s world, women often traveled during pregnancy to be with trusted relatives. It was practical, relational, and sometimes simply necessary. Luke isn’t describing something strange; he’s describing something deeply human. Mary is seeking the safest place for her soul to land, a place where someone will understand. Someone who will believe her. Someone who will speak blessing, not doubt.
And sure enough, the moment she arrives, confirmation abounds. Elizabeth’s child leapt. Elizabeth prophesized. Joy replaced uncertainty. Faith replaced fear.
It makes me wonder how often does God invite us on an uphill journey because the confirmation we’re longing for is on the other side of the risky path?
Maybe obedience feels steep right now, and possibly a bit risky. Maybe you are in need of confirmation about a direction or a path. What we learn from Mary is that God often meets us with clarity, joy, and blessing on the road of obedience, not before it.
Josh Rose
Family Pastor