Magnify

Devotion by: Bill Carbaugh

Luke 1:46-56

⁴⁶And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
⁴⁸for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
⁵²He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
⁵⁶And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.
I’m pregnant! What excitement – what anticipation – what the heck is going on with my body? Mary and Elizabeth are sharing the excitement of both expecting at the same time. As Mary so delicately puts it, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.”

The Lord does not enter this world on a chariot with legions of soldiers and trumpets a blazing. He comes in the form of child . . . born to an ordinary woman . . . in a stable. Anyone who has witnessed the birth of a child knows of the amazing and overwhelming joy as the baby takes it first breath of life and lets out its first cry. Even though the baby is covered in goop, it is a beautiful sight and with a few wipes with cotton towels, the beautiful child is placed in the mother’s arms, whose tears of exhaustion and joy stream down upon the new arrival.

The Lord’s mercy was shown to Mary, who “feared” or “respected” the Lord. As with Mary, the Lord exalts those of low degree and fills the hungry with good things. This is a message of hope — for we all hunger for many things and should look to the Lord (rather than the Malls) to fill this hunger.

But what of those who don’t fear the Lord? He will put down the mighty from their thrones, he will send the rich away empty. All this from a little baby? Yes, a little baby who in fact is the Son of God, part of the triune God who fulfills his promises … the promises that he made to Abraham and his descendants and the promises he still makes to us today. And that indeed is Good News to all who believe in him.

Prayer: We thank you for the gift of baby Jesus . . . for sending us big things in small packages. We also thank you for your servant Mary and for her tender care of the Lord Jesus and for her example of faith during a time in which she must have also been fearful of many things. Please help us to put our faith in you and to fear you and to check our pride at the door and always be your humble servant as Mary was many years ago. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.