Do I magnify God?
And coming to her, the angel said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly perplexed at what he said and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end." - Luke 1:28-33 (Amplified Bible)
Historians speculate that Mary was around 15-16 years of age when she gave birth to Jesus. However, independent of her age, her spiritual maturity is indeed evident. When presented with the news that she would conceive the holy Son of God, Mary responds with pure faith and obedience by saying, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word".
What is my response when life happens differently than I had planned?
She was just a young woman—a girl, really—but she reacted with the grace, wisdom, and spiritual maturity of a seasoned saint.
Mary replied with prophetic words of her own. Her saying is known as the Magnificat (Latin for the first word of Mary's outpouring of praise). It is really a hymn about the incarnation. Without question, it is a song of unspeakable joy and the most magnificent psalm of worship in the New Testament.
And Mary said,
My soul magnifies and exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has looked [with loving care] on the humble state of His maidservant;
For behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed and happy and favored by God!
For He who is mighty has done great things for me;
And holy is His name [to be worshiped in His purity, majesty, and glory].
And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him.
He has done mighty deeds with His [powerful] arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. "
He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And exalted those who were humble. "
He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent the rich away empty-handed.
He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,
Just as He promised to our fathers, To Abraham and to his descendants forever."
- Luke 1:46-55 (Amplified Bible)
Mary herself never claimed or pretended to be anything more than a humble handmaiden of the Lord. She was extraordinary because God used her in an extraordinary way. She clearly thought of herself as perfectly ordinary. She is portrayed in Scripture only as an instrument whom God used in the fulfillment of His plan. She herself never made any pretense of being an administrator of the divine agenda, and she never gave anyone any encouragement to regard her as a mediatrix in the dispensing of divine grace. The lowly perspective reflected in Mary's Magnificat is the same simple spirit of humility that colored all her life and character. Notice how she praised the glory and majesty of God while repeatedly acknowledging her own lowliness. She took no credit for anything good in herself. But she praised the Lord for His attributes, naming some of the chief ones specifically, including His power, His mercy, and His holiness. She freely confessed God as the one who had done great things for her, and not vice versa. The song is all about God's greatness, His glory, the strength of His arm, and His faithfulness across the generations. - John MacArthur
Be Encouraged to use Mary's Magnificat as an elevated pattern of praise to your Lord and Savior!
-Jeffrey Thornton
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