Luke 1:46-55 (CHRISTMAS Devotion)

MARY'S 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.'"

The Christmas story is full of intrigue, excitement and anticipation. When we think of Christmas, various images come to mind of Jesus, Mary and Joseph; angels, shepherds and wise men; and a stable manger, because there was no room at the inn. However, tucked within the pageantry on display and imagery we envision are raw emotions the characters must have been feeling in the moment. The story begins as such: "In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be" (Luke 1:26-29). The beauty of the Gospel is that it aligns not only with our psyche, but our emotions. We can relate to the shock and amazement Mary must have felt when the angel Gabriel stood before her and foretold she would give birth to God's own Son. Similarly, our logical minds likely would have been troubled just as she was, because embracing the impossible forces us to reconcile who we know God to be. In particular, our skepticism would undermine the message being given and cause us to wonder whether we were dreaming or experiencing a delusional moment. "And Mary said to the angel, 'How will this be, since I am a virgin?'" (Luke 1:34). Yet despite all the reasons why Mary could have doubted, the angel further intrigued Mary by announcing that her elderly, barren relative named Elizabeth would also conceive a son. Not only was the Lord poised to perform one miracle but two, for Gabriel affirmed to Mary, "Nothing will be impossible with God" (Luke 1:37). 

It is easy to read the Christmas story and determine that if we had been chosen in Mary's place, our response would have been no different than hers—but would it really? "And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:38). Keep in mind, hindsight is 20/20. We have the benefit of being bystanders to this narrative and knowing how it all plays out. Mary did not. She had to make a choice BY FAITH that the words promised to her were true. She didn't have time to think on it or ask Gabriel a laundry list of questions before making a decision. She simply trusted and obeyed. In retrospect, we know she was chosen primarily because of her faith and obedience to the law. "And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God'" (Luke 1:30). The character and countenance Mary possessed, in addition to the fact she was a virgin, all contributed to her selection by God for this monumental task, but it was her devotion to obeying God's Word in her personal walk of faith that presupposed her acceptance of God's will for her life. No doubt Mary conducted herself accordingly to the wisdom of Scripture which declares, "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised" (Proverbs 31:30), but we cannot forget she was a sinner as well, of the lineage of Adam. As a devout Jew, obedience to the law was absolute and non-negotiable, so we are not surprised that her religious devotion had sufficient merit in the eyes of God. However, as we consider ourselves compared to Mary's example, would we be as easy a selection if God presented the same miraculous opportunity to us?

Keep in mind, Mary had to weigh the consequences of this decision as well. As a young woman betrothed to be married, she understood the ramifications of her decision. Contrary to present-day, American culture, showing up on the doorstep of your fiance's home whom you hadn't seen in six months—supposedly a virgin, but now PREGNANT—was an opportunity for any myriad of potential outcomes. Public shame and humiliation, being disowned, or even death were all potential consequences of action for the revelation of her pregnancy out of wedlock. Mary knew there would be no denying or hiding her pregnancy, yet to the dismay of her faith community it did not deter her resolve. She trusted what the angel Gabriel proclaimed—that she would not simply be pregnant, but would give birth to God's Son and name Him, Jesus. Nine months of sacrifice would culminate in the birth of a miraculous baby, the Savior of the world. Therefore, she had all the assurance she needed that despite the mockery, ridicule, persecution and chastisement she would receive, God's will would be done regardless of the consequences which inevitably surrounded her. It is as if the words of King David echoed in her heart: "Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD" (Psalm 27:3-6). No matter what mankind could do to her as a result of her premarital pregnancy, Mary trusted the Lord would guide and protect her, just as He did for David on countless occasions.

The raw emotion Mary experienced as a result of her encounter with Gabriel is captured by Luke in what is referred to as the "Magnificat," our highlighted Scripture passage. While typically glossed over within the Christmas pageantry, it encapsulates Mary's joy, praise and adoration for who God is and what He has done for His people. In many ways the Magnificat echoes that of "Hannah's Song" (1 Samuel 2:1-10), when the Lord had mercy on Hannah's barrenness and opened her womb, enabling her to give birth to a son (the prophet Samuel) whom she promised to dedicate to the Lord for ministry service. For our personal reflection, Mary's song of praise is a tremendous example of humility and reverence to God. In no way does Mary deify herself in this psalm. Rather, she conveys a sense of innocence that the words Elizabeth proclaimed to her would be true. "And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!'" (Luke 1:41-42). Undoubtedly, Mary's example of piety is worthy of respect and admiration throughout all generations, but it should not be misconstrued as an opportunity for us to deify her. For as John MacArthur once wrote, "Those who channel their religious energies into the veneration of Mary would do well to learn from the example of Mary herself. God is the only One she magnified." Mary's entire focus within her song of praise was to glorify God for using her as an instrument of His love, because through her the Savior of the world was born. Her recognition of her lowliness and unworthiness as a sinner compared to the splendor of God's majesty is perhaps the greatest takeaway we can glean from the Magnificat and apply similarly in our prayer life, just as Mary emulated from Hannah's example.

As we conclude, an interesting question to wrestle with is how we would remember Mary if her identity had been different. In other words, would we have the same reverent sentiment toward her as the mother of Jesus Christ if for instance she had been a prostitute prior to Gabriel's visitation? Hypothetically, it forces us to reconcile whether we justify one sin over another. Keep in mind, the Lord used Rahab (the prostitute) for His glory when she protected the Israelite spies who escaped Jericho under her protection. "By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies" (Hebrews 11:31). Why then could the Lord not have chosen Mary if her background were different? Granted, the miracle of a virgin birth would not be as compelling, but God could have re-written the story if He wanted to in another miraculous way. What we must distinguish is that Mary's virgin identity of sexual purity does not mean she was perfect and lived a sinless life. Only God is perfect and worthy to be praised! In many ways, the veneration of Mary over the past 2,000 years has evolved into a forgetfulness or disregard that she was indeed a sinner, just like Rahab or anyone of us. Let us be clear: The "humble estate" Mary refers to in her Magnificat is her own recognition that God did not have to choose her. She understood her need for a Savior just as we should. There was nothing in and of herself that deserved to be chosen for the task, for she was merely a young girl of lowly social status. Rather, it was her humility and faith which allowed her to accept the specific role He desired for her life, and consequently allows us to share in the celebration of God's redemptive plan of salvation of which she played an important role.

Therefore, as we celebrate the choice Mary made to accept God's will for her life, let us not lose focus that God similarly has a unique will for us as well. Granted, what God desires for us to accomplish may not be as grandiose as Mary's, but undeniably we will be blessed for our obedience just as she was if we submit our personal will for the Lord's service. God always uses imperfect people to accomplish His will. Look no further than King David's murder of Uriah, Paul's approval in the stoning of Stephen, or Peter's threefold denial of Jesus before His crucifixion as prime examples. What we must remember is each of these characters owned up to and repented of their sins, and God used them mightily to impact the world for Christ. Therefore, let us not compare the unique purposes God has placed on each of our hearts as if some are less important than others. For the apostle Paul reminds us, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58). We go no place by accident because the Lord's hand is constantly at work, bringing to fruition His sovereign will for our lives wherever we go. Therefore, let us rejoice and praise His Name for the gift of salvation He provided through the willing sacrifice of a young girl who accepted her unique purpose and mission to bear the Savior of the world. May we emulate the same willingness to submit and obey the Lord's calling on each of our lives when the Spirit prompts us to act. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).