Luke 1:39-45
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

The fact Mary went to visit her relative Elizabeth shows these two had probably become acquainted at an earlier date. They may have been in each other’s company for a while in connection with one or more of the great religious festivals. Mary probably felt she needed to talk to someone who would understand.

So Mary left Nazareth and hurried to the hill country of Judea. The town where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived is not named by Luke, but the traditional birthplace of John is En Karim, about five miles west of Jerusalem. She was probably able to travel from Nazareth to Jerusalem with a group of people making the trip.

The visit from Mary no doubt came as a surprise, but the Holy Spirit made Elizabeth suddenly aware of both Mary’s pregnancy and the identity of Mary’s baby. The wonderful interaction of these two women, one very old, the other very young, before their children were born is a wonderful picture of God’s grace given to His servants.

They needed each other! Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months. They must have talked, wondering, over-joyed and surprised at what God was doing in their lives and what He was planning for their very special children.

We do need each other!

This is a wonderful picture of one of the greatest benefits of the local church.

We educate, strengthen and encourage each other.