Today I happened to visit Cyberbrethren where he has posted the article Festival of Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth in which he includes this wonderful artwork displaying the visit of Mary to Elizabeth:
Since he did not give the information crediting the author, I cannot give it at this time either. But it filled my heart with joy to see this representation of this blessed event. This artist truly portrays these women as the Holy Spirit moved them to know and respond to the salvific activity that the Lord was working in and through them.
Upon seeing this artwork my heart was immediately moved to pray, “Oh Lord, how dear Mary must have needed this visit and this encouragement that You provided her through this encounter. Such an unusual and heavy burden she bore as the one through whom You came into the world to save us. Yet this is the joy that You give to those in whom You are at work to save and to bring Your kingdom to mankind!”
I considered these things and thought that this truly is a fitting graphic for July the 4th as the Independence Day celebration. For this surely is the true independence that mankind should happily celebrate.
I find it amazing that according to our sinful nature we look for independence with the mindset that we must set ourselves free from being dependent. But as this wonderful graphic displays, truly joyful independence is being set free to be dependent upon the One who truly loves us and provides all good things for us from above. Like a newborn babe, happily dependent upon mommy and daddy for all good and joyful things, so the regenerated believer in Christ Jesus is happily dependent upon the one true God, having been baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit to live in the perfect and holy Communion of the Lord forevermore.
Christ came into the world to set us free from dependence upon the things that prevent us from partaking of this blessed dependence upon our loving God. For only in trusting Him do we realize the true freedom that our hearts long to know.
God grant us a happy and blessed Independence Day!
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