My Soul Magnifies the Lord

Mary responded, "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. . . .For the Mighty One is holy, and He has done great things for me." Luke 1:46-47, 49
 
  When I think about Mary, I find that I admire her greatly. She was a young woman - girl really - who was visited by an angel and told that she would conceive a child who would be the "Son of the Most High God". Luke 1:29 tells us that Mary was "troubled" at the angel's greeting and "wondered" what it could mean. As Warren Wiersbe says, "Mary's response reveal(ed) her humility and honesty before God. She certainly never expected to see an angel and receive special favors from heaven. There was nothing unique about her that such things should happen." If she had been unique, then her response might have been one of pride and expectation. God chose a humble servant. This is the first thing that stands out to me about Mary.
Then Mary seemed to accept this by being practical and asking how this would come about since she had never been with a man. Unlike Zechariah's response to the angel in regards to his wife, Elizabeth, having a child; Mary's response showed one of faith. Wiersbe says, Mary "believed the promise, but she did not understand the performance. How could a virgin give birth to a child!" Mary's faith is the second thing that causes me to admire her.
 After hearing Gabriel's response about how it would all come about; he goes on to encourage her with the news that her relative, Elizabeth, was also with child. Here, Mary shows her most admirable quality. In Luke 1:38, Mary says that she is the "Lord's servant" and asks that the angel's words to her "may be fulfilled". Warren Wiersbe writes that "Mary's believing response was to surrender herself to God as His willing servant. . . body. . . soul. . . and spirit." Mary's example of complete surrender under unique circumstances is another thing to admire.
 Then in Luke 1:46-49, Mary begins her "praise song" by saying, "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name." Warren Wiersbe writes that "the fullness of the Spirit should lead to joyful praise in our lives, and so should the fullness of the Word. Mary's song contains quotations and references to the Old Testament Scriptures. . . Mary hid God's Word in her heart and turned it into a song." He goes on to say that Mary's "great desire was to magnify the Lord, not herself." 
Mary's song goes on to speak about what God has done for us - "We have all received His mercy and experienced His help. . . Mary saw the Lord turning everything upside down: the weak dethrone the mighty, the humble are filled, and the rich end up poor! The grace of God works contrary to the thoughts and ways of this world system." (WW) Her song goes on to include what God had done for Israel. God "would remember His mercy and keep His promises. Were it not for Israel, Jesus Christ could not have been born into the world." (WW) Mary hid God's Word in her heart and offered praise for all that the Lord had done and was going to do. I love this example from Mary. 
Matthew 1:21 tells us that Jesus would save His people from their sins. This was the purpose for His coming to earth. While many Jews at the time were looking for a political leader, God had something else in mind - an eternal peace through the final sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus was born to die. For this reason, like Mary's, "my soul magnifies the Lord." 
 

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