Read:
Luke 1:46–55
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. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. he has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.
Ponder:
Mary’s hymn of praise reflects her character and her emotional response to God’s mighty work in her life. Her understanding of what God is now doing in her life causes her great joy. Her faith rests in a God that acts on behalf of the righteous to take care of them. As she praises God for the gift of her first born child, she begins with a praise to God for responding to her humbleness (verses 46-48a). Mary then praises God for what He has done for her (verses 48b-50). Next, she magnifies the Lord for what He has done for mankind (verses 51-53). And lastly she magnifies God for keeping His covenant promises (verses 54-55). This song is similar to Hannah’s prayer of praise regarding the birth of her son, Samuel (see 1 Samuel 2:1-11).
Mary magnifies the Lord by proclaiming His goodness and bringing attention to Him. The praise comes from both her soul and spirit, the totality of Mary’s inner being. Her soul dwelt on the greatness of God and on what He was doing for His people, and she gives Him a joyful and heartfelt thanksgiving for it. She had never seen God so great as she had at that moment.
Mary’s song of praise shows us that God specially blesses the poor and lowly. Mary was not a particularly special woman prior to being chosen by God. But she was clearly humble, and even describes herself as holding a “lowly estate.” God worked in Her completely through His power. He loves to exalt the lowly, and He loves to do all the work along the way.
The song also reminds us to beware of worldly riches and power. Be wary of anything that makes you feel strong and self-sufficient. Be vigilant to keep a posture of spiritual dependency. That sounds strange, but you have to work to remind yourself that you need God. Do not become complacent in your routine, thinking that you have it figured out. Practice humility.
Practice:
Think of a time when you believed God used you. Spend a moment or two thanking Him for that time. Also, commit to practice humility by confessing your sin daily, looking for ways to speak well of others, and taking time to make a list of things that you are grateful for.
