Mary’s Beautiful Song

Last week, we considered the angel Gabriel’s beautiful greeting to Mary in Luke 1:26–34. Today, I want us to consider Mary’s response, found in her beautiful Song of Praise: The Magnificat.

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.
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, ESV)

I said last week that the entire Advent narrative is a reminder that God doesn’t always work in the ways we would expect, nor does he work through the people we would expect. God will be faithful to every one of his promises to you, but he will seldom fulfill those promises in the ways you expect or desire. God is a God of surprising, redemptive creativity.

In these moments, when God surprises us or asks us to step into what appears to be impossible, we would do well to sing like Mary. Now, it must be observed that Mary was initially afraid, greatly troubled, and tried to discern what God was doing (Luke 1:29). That’s a natural human reaction.

But rather than running away, rather than questioning his goodness and love, Mary decided to run toward God. She didn’t have the answers. She couldn’t see the future. But she knew one thing: that God was her Savior. And because of that theology, her spirit rejoiced and sang.

When the unwanted or the unexpected knocks on your door, do you sing? Do you meditate on the might of your Lord, who has done great things for you? Do you worship his holiness? Do you cling to his mercy? Do you fear him more than you fear whatever in life has you afraid?

When was the last time you allowed yourself to truly wonder in awe at this mind-blowing reality: How could it be that I would be included in this eternal kingdom, of which there will be no end?

The eternal kingdom of God doesn’t just run through Mary. No, the eternal kingdom of God runs through you, too, because from eternity, God’s story included you. Because of the birth of Jesus, every one of God’s blood-bought children is woven into the eternal fabric of his grace and invited into the eternal reign of his kingdom.

Mary’s beautiful Song of Praise, The Magnificat, also reminds us that this eternal kingdom of God is an upside-down kingdom. The mighty are brought down and the humble are exalted. “The last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16, Mark 9:35). The least will be made great, the hungry will be fed, and the rich sent away empty. Servants become leaders, and the most mature are those who are the most dependent.

What is it that you aspire to as a recipient of the kingdom of God? Greatness? Success? Independence? Capability? Strength? No, the move of grace in our lives is not from dependence to independence, but from independence to dependence.

Mary wasn’t prepared for or capable of bringing the Savior into the world, but the One who called her was, and he would give her everything she needed. “For nothing will be impossible with God” (1:37).

In fear and confusion, Mary chose to let wonder and worship overshadow her greatly troubled heart. And that is what enabled her beautiful song: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (1:38)

May that be the case for us this Christmas season, and every day after!

A Prayer for Today: God, would you increase my spiritual maturity and help me to recognize that the goal is not independence from you, but greater and greater dependence on you? Would you create in me a spirit of humility and tenderness that spills over into every other part of my life, including my relationships, my job, my family, my plans, my dreams for the future, and my place in the body of Christ? I know you will give me everything I need, even though I am not capable or prepared for what this sinful world will throw at me. I need you, Lord. Please fill my empty hands. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Discussion Prompt for Children

1. When you see that I’m confused or frustrated about something, how do I usually respond? When you’re confused or frustrated about something, how do you usually respond? Why do you think it can be so hard for us to trust God when things are confusing or frustrating? How can we help each other in this area?

2. What usually helps you to remember all the great things that God has done in your life? How can you remind yourself of those great things when difficult times come?

3. What in life usually scares you the most? How can I help you to remember that God is always bigger than anything that might scare you?

Reflection Questions

1. As we approach Christmas, what is going on in your life right now that causes your spirit to be troubled? What are you afraid or confused about? What is frustrating you to the point that it controls your thought life more than it should? What might God be calling you to lay down in front of him as this is typically a very hectic and stressful time of life during the holiday season?

2. What circumstances have a tendency to tempt you to run away from God? What specific reminders do you need to recall that can push you toward dependence on God instead of independence from him?

3. What strikes you the most about the upside-down principles of God’s Kingdom and how do those principles within Mary’s Song help you to see more clearly with spiritual eyes of discernment?

4. What is your knee-jerk reaction to the fact that God’s story not only runs through Mary, but through you too as a born-again follower of Christ? In what specific ways can you communicate your thankfulness to God that he has included you in his kingdom and woven you into the eternal fabric of his grace?

5. What is it that you aspire to as a recipient of the kingdom of God? How can dependence on him become more and more of your focus as you mature in Christ?