Monday Devotions – Mary’s Song

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. (Lk. 1:46-48a ESV) Yesterday, Grant Layman, one of the pastors at my church, gave an outstanding message from Luke 1:39-56, called Mary’s Song. He focused on Mary’s circumstances, Mary’s character, and Mary’s God. I was raised as a Roman Catholic, and have long since dealt with an unbiblical exaltation of Mary’s role in God’s plan of salvation. She was not immaculately conceived, she was not perpetually sinless, and she is definitely not a co-mediator with Jesus. But during the message yesterday, I was freshly reminded of Mary’s example in humbly submitting to God’s plan for her life. And what a plan it was! God sends an angel to tell a obscure young girl, maybe all of 13 years, that she is to bear the Savior of the world. How would you respond to such an announcement? (If you’re a guy, think about Joseph…) Three lessons stand out to me in the verse referenced above. It’s the first line from the Mary’s prayer commonly referred to as “The Magnificat.” “My soul magnifies the Lord.” To magnify means to make something look bigger than it appears to our eyes. We use a telescope or a set of binoculars to magnify objects that are far away. Magnifying doesn’t make those objects bigger, but helps us to see them as they truly are. Mary could have magnified a few other things when Gabriel broke the news to her. “Who’s going to believe a thirteen year old girl who says she’s pregnant by God? What will the neighbors think? How will I explain this to Joseph? Will he divorce me once he finds out? What will this mean for my future?” Mary could have magnified these and a thousand other fears. But instead of allowing her thoughts to drift to what she didn’t know, she reflected on what she DID know. My God is good. He is kind. He is faithful to His promises. He is answering the prayers of His people. God is merciful. How do I respond when I receive unexpected news? What do I magnify? My circumstances, anxieties and questions – or the Lord? “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Mary didn’t simply accept God’s will with a sense of dutiful determination. “Well, if someone has to bear the Messiah, it might as well be me.” She was overjoyed that God had called her to this unique role in salvation history. But her joy was rooted not so much in her favored status as in God Himself. “My spirit rejoices in GOD my Savior.” How often my joy springs from my position, or the way God seems to be using me. When either of those change, so does my attitude. Mary’s joy was secure, grounded in the never changing faithful love of her God and Savior. “For he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” Mary had an exalted view of God, not herself. Her response is an example for us because she didn’t consider herself special, unique, or in any way worthy of the honor that God had bestowed on her. She didn’t think, “I must be some kind of woman for God to trust me with this assignment!” No, she understood that God using her was due to His mercy, not her competence. As Grant shared in his message, “God specializes in using humble ordinary people whose limitations and weaknesses make them ideal showcases for His greatness and glory.” Ordinary, limited, and weak. I fit well into those categories. And lest we think that God has changed whom He uses, Mary goes on to say, “His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.” (Lk. 1:50) If my life bears any fruit today, if I am able to overcome any difficulty, if I am able to find joy in the midst of trial – it is because God has looked upon my feeble frame and shown me mercy through His precious Son. May our proclamation today and every day be, “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Lk. 1:49)