“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.’” -Luke 1:46-49
Mary was a young woman from a small town. Her life had been forever changed by the arrival of an angel, Gabriel, who told her that God favored her to bear His Son, the Messiah. Her plans, her upcoming marriage, her physical body—all these things had forever changed when Jesus came into her life. And Mary’s response was a choice to praise and rejoice.
Mary’s humble heart allowed her to respond in praise to God.
When we recognize our “humble estate” as Mary did, our response to God can be the same. Just as James writes in James 4:10, it is not until we humble ourselves that God Himself is able to lift us up! And at that time, we respond in magnifying the Lord and rejoicing in our God.
God’s choice of Mary as the woman who would bear the Son of God is a beautiful reminder to us of the blessing that comes from a life lived in humility. Even at this early stage, Mary recognized this when she said, “From now on, all generations will call me blessed.” How easy it might have been for Mary to have been filled with pride in such recognition from Almighty God in choosing her to carry the Savior of the world in her womb! But Mary understood her humble estate, and knowing this, her response was to rejoice in praise to God!
As we seek God’s blessing in our lives, may we seek to live humbly before Him in this same way. And as our circumstances change from day to day, may our hearts’ cry be the same as that of Mary, and may our spirit rejoice in God our Savior.
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