January 15 – Mary's Song

January 15 – Mary's Song

Luke 1:46-55

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).

These words open one of my favorite songs of humble worship.  It was sung by a young woman who just found out her life would be turned upside down.  She didn't panic because she was going to have to explain to her future husband and her parents why she was pregnant and she didn't strut around because she had just been given a huge honor. Instead, Mary focused on the Lord rather than herself.

Generations would call her blessed, not because she had decided to allow God to do wonderful things, but because God had done great things through her.

That’s a huge distinction and one that is easily missed in a culture where self-will and choices are important.  Mary knew that it wasn't about her choice, but the fact that God had chosen her to be the mother of the Savior of the World.

These verses sing out the majesty and glory of God.  He has shown strength and scattered the proud. It is God who recognizes that the rich and haughty need to be brought low, while those in need to be lifted it up.

Her son, the Messiah, would bring balance to an unbalanced world.  When he announced his ministry in Luke 4, he read words from Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18-19).

God didn't choose a queen to raise His Son, He didn't ask a wealthy woman to bear His child.  He sent the angel to a young woman whom no one knew, but who knew Him.  She worshiped God because He saw past her circumstances to her humanity and lifted her up.

Her son looked beyond the outer trappings of the people He encountered and saw who they were inside. He brought down the rich and haughty, those who struggled for power and lifted up the humble who would offer praise and thanksgiving to God their Savior.