MARY’S SONG OF PRAISE
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. Luke 2:46-49 NIV
When Elizabeth confirmed that Mary was carrying God’s Son, Mary burst into spontaneous song. At this point, Mary had probably only confided in her parents the visit from the angel Gabriel. Joseph probably had not yet been told. And Elizabeth probably assumed her niece had just come for a visit. Suddenly when the two of them were face to face, the Holy Spirit confirmed to Elizabeth that Mary was carrying the Messiah. Her words were just what Mary needed to hear.
Mary’s response was to burst into a prayer or song of praise. “My soul glorifies (brings glory, honor and praise) the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Although Mary couldn’t know all that bearing God’s Son would mean to her personally, she wasn’t caught up in questions or fear, but rather she experienced joy. Why? Because God was mindful of her, someone the world might have ignored or viewed as unimportant, but she was neither in God’s eyes. Because God chose her, she would be remembered from then on by all generations. She acknowledged that God had “done great things for me.” And she declared,” holy is his name.”
Three things I note from Mary’s song:
1. Her spontaneous praise. I was asked to sing at a church service in Cuba several years ago. As I prayed about what to sing, I was impressed with God’s faithfulness among the people in the congregation despite the hardships of Communism. That evening as I sang through the verse and started the chorus of the hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” the congregation spontaneously burst into song with me. They too recognized God’s faithfulness on their behalf. What an awesome experience to worship Him together in song and praise.
2. Her humility. She didn’t come from a wealthy or powerful family. She was an ordinary maiden from an ordinary family going about her daily routine when God chose her. She was awed by this…and willing for God to use her. Have you experienced God using you to minister to someone? I have. And it is humbling. I am nobody important…I’m just plain Ann (without the “e”).
3. Her recognition that God had done a great thing for her. God is at work in all of our lives. The question is, do we recognize it. We prayed for a particular apartment to open for my sister and were disappointed when it didn’t. A few weeks later, the perfect place opened for her. God knew where she would be happiest and content.
Are we willing for God to use us? Do we trust him even if we don’t know all the details of what that obedience may mean?
Do we recognize the great things God has done for us?
Prayer: Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my Father. Morning by morning new mercies I see! All I have needed Your hand has provided. Great is Your faithfulness, Lord, unto me.