Luke 1:;46-55
Mary’s Hymn of Praise
And Mary said, “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior, because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him.
He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts.
He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position; he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Before moving on through Luke, there is another lesson I have gleened from Mary's Hymn of Praise. It's really a reinforcement of a lesson learned in by watching how she first responded to the word she received of her calling, as we explored in our earlier sessions. Why Mary?
In verse 48 we see God sought a humble heart:
"because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed,"
In verse 49 we see God sought a heart that recognizes the perfect work He has done:
"because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name;"
And in verses 50-55 we see God sought a heart that held tight to His word and knowledge of His word is a priority:
"from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him.
He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts.
He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position; he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Mary was ready to respond to God's call on her life because of these things. They did not happen over night. Her upbringing, life experiences and dedication to seeking God's word all the years leading up to this day made her ready for this very moment in her life.
Is my heart ready? Am I taking the steps today that will make my heart ready for the right response to His calling in my life? Do I seek to do mighty things for God before my heart is ready to do them with a humble heart that only has desires for His glory and can see truth as presented by His Word?
Once again, this Hymn of Praise reminds us that we must have the blinders on first, so that we can be ready to respond with a right heart.
Prayer:
Almighty God I kneel at your thrown with a humble heart. A heart that recognizes how far I fall from deserving fellowship with You without the redeeming blood of Christ that was shed for me. I praise You Lord for the gift of Your Word, without which I could never have the knowledge of Your perfect plan of salvation. I desire to draw closer to You daily and recognize that this is done by spending time daily in Your Word and developing an attitude of prayer throughout every moment of every day. Let me not take a step without seeking Your face first Lord. Protect me from the deceptions of the enemy for I know that You have given me a sound mind. One day at a time Lord. I desire to become all You created me to be, and recognize that I must demonstrate this by submitting and drawing closer to You one day at a time. Your will and Your way Lord. To Your glory. In the name of Christ who went to the cross for me I pray. Amen.
Great Words! Thanks!!
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