Today’s reading is from Luke 1:46-56
We are 9 days until Christmas and getting closer to celebrating the birth of Jesus. The story of Mary in Luke is so fascinating. After Mary heard from the Angel that she would be the mother of the Messiah she went to her cousin Elizabeth’s house. I imagine she was looking for some comfort and reassurance after all the angel had told her. Growing up in the Jewish faith she knew that the Messiah was promised to them and she was waiting along with everyone else. Did she ever consider that she would be the one chosen? She had two major shocks with the angel’s message. First, that she would become pregnant while maintaining her innocence and secondly that God would choose her to help usher the Messiah into the world. I have often wondered how she so easily accepted this seemingly impossible scenario. I think it was because the Angel was magnificent and she was Jewish. She knew there was the promise of a Messiah and she was a direct descendant of David. She knew that only a woman from the line of David could give birth to the Messiah. While shocked that He had chosen her, she was not surprised that God was fulfilling the promise. The doubting would come after the angel left. For me, it would be the second I lay my head on my pillow at night. That’s when the thoughts and the doubts and the fears start to race. But God, in all his beautiful plan already had things in motion for Mary to be reassured. When Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and entered the house there was no question that God was fulfilling his promise through her. The reassurance and confirmation that Elizabeth gave elicited Mary’s response to God that we read in Luke 1:46-56. Mary was overwhelmed and full of thankfulness. Her response is famously known as the Magnificat prayer – or her hymn of praise.
Luke 1:46-56 “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”.
Mary was humble and had a servant’s heart. She was special because she was chosen by God to help bring Jesus into the world, but she was an ordinary person. That’s who God uses, ordinary people like you and me to do extraordinary things in His Name. And when you know Him, you can recognize when He’s using you. All the glory goes to Him because we are so very aware that without Him none of it possible.
As you celebrate the coming of Christmas think of Mary’s response to God asking her to do something that seemed impossible. She said yes, trusted Him, and thanked Him. It wasn’t an easy road for her, but when God gives so much confirmation there is peace. The peace that surpasses understanding.
Peace to you,
Shelly