MARY’S MAGNIFICENT GOD
“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.” —Luke 1:46–55
December 2
Mary sees clearly a most remarkable thing
about God: He is about to change the course of all human history. The most important
three decades in all of time are about to begin. And where is God? Occupying
himself with two obscure, humble women—one old and barren (Elizabeth), one
young and virginal (Mary). And Mary is so moved by this vision of God, the
lover of the lowly, that she breaks
out in song — a song that has come to be known as “the Magnificat”
(Luke 1:46–55). Mary and Elizabeth are
wonderful heroines in Luke’s account. He loves the faith of these women. The
thing that impresses him most, it appears, and the thing he wants to impress on
Theophilus, his noble reader, is the lowliness and cheerful humility of
Elizabeth and Mary. Elizabeth says, “Why is this granted to me that the
mother of my Lord would come to me?” (Luke 1:43). And Mary
says, “He has looked on the humble estate of his servant” (Luke 1:48). The only
people whose soul can truly magnify the Lord are people like Elizabeth and
Mary—people who
acknowledge their lowly estate and are overwhelmed by the
condescension of the magnificent God
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