This devotional is Day 8 of the 25-Day Advent Series “The Wonders of His Love.” Follow along with us as we grow in grace through the Christmas story!
Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
–
She was a young virgin from a poor family, yet chosen by God to be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah of the world.
How did she respond to the surprising news? How would you respond?
After a visit from the angel Gabriel, and upon visiting Elizabeth who was pregnant with her own miracle son known as John the Baptist, Mary praised God with a song. Though she could have been filled with anxiety about the unknowns, she chose instead to worship.
She quickly took the attention off herself and magnified the One who deserved the glory.
“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.’” Luke 1:46-49, ESV
Mary rejoiced in God because He found favor with her, a meek servant not from a wealthy or esteemed family.
Though she could have boasted in herself for being chosen for such a privileged role, she exalted God. Her melody glorified the very nature of God Almighty, explaining how He cares and is holy. What a beautiful sound it must have been as she proclaimed His goodness.
We learn from Mary that God reveals Himself through the humble, and throughout Scripture we see the reoccurring pattern of God showing favor to the humble over the rich and proud.
There’s a purpose behind all God does because He weaves the strands together for good to accomplish His will, and choosing Mary was a part of His perfect plan.
Mary continues singing:
“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.” Luke 1:50-55, ESV
She highlights God’s mercy towards those who revere Him and notes what God has done in the past, from dethroning rulers to uplifting the needy and poor. And she remembers His faithfulness throughout the generations, reminding us of the importance of looking back at what God has done.
Mary’s heart of worship to God was both beautiful and faith-filled. She didn’t wait to praise God until Jesus was born but believed that God would do what He said He would do. She clearly had a deep love for God and knowledge of Him.
Though Mary had little material worth or fame to her name, she was rich in what matters most – loving and knowing God.
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this season, we can worship God as Mary so genuinely did. We can praise God for sending His Son to be Savior for all mankind and paving the way for us to spend an eternity with Him.
By pausing in awe of how God chose to write the story and recounting His faithfulness, we too can be filled with gratitude for all He has done.
And when we keep our hearts soft, like His humble servant Mary, His light will shine through us to those who need the hope we have.
Through faith we can also believe in all God has promised to do in the future, just as Mary believed before she cradled her firstborn Son in her arms. We’re in the middle of a story between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming when He will return to set things right.
Unknowns and challenges are a part of life, but as we take the focus off our circumstances and align our thoughts with God’s truth, we move from worry to worship as Mary exemplifies.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”As we take the focus off our circumstances and align our thoughts with God’s truth, we move from worry to worship.” quote=”As we take the focus off our circumstances and align our thoughts with God’s truth, we move from worry to worship.”]
Christmas lights will eventually come down and the festivities will rest until next year, but we were designed to be worshippers of a Marvelous God forever.
His perfect love is deep and wide, available to all. He’s given everything to be with us because we are the pinnacle of His beautiful creation. And that is reason to rejoice all year long, bringing praise to the One who is worthy of all the honor and glory forever and ever, amen.
As we marvel at the goodness of God, may our hearts respond with a song of praise like the mother of our Savior and King.
–
About the Author
Hannah is a wife, boy mama, and child of God who has a passion for encouraging women to embrace their beautiful identity in Christ.
She enjoys writing, capturing beauty through photography, hand-lettering truth, and pouring into her family of four. You can connect with her at her blog, wovenbeautiful.com or on Instagram @wovenbeautiful.
Leave a Reply