Basically she was just guaranteed a life of shame, disgrace and hardship, and instead of focusing on that, she worshiped. She worshiped at the bigness of God, his mercy, and his love for her people.
Her son was about God’s kindness to the people of Israel, that he did not forget them but showed them great mercy (it’s a theme). That he is a good and covenant keeping God. And that God raises up the humble and humbles the proud. She also recognized how honored she was to be the mother of the Lord and from now all would call her blessed. And they do!
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.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Mary was a worshiper. That’s why I love most about this. She knows the goodness of God through the generations. She sees his goodness bigger than anything she would have to suffer.
She was also willing and gladly willing to suffer for the greater glory of God. When the LORD announced she would have a baby, knowing it was going to be out of wedlock, she welcomed the will and purposes of the LORD.
That’s convicting to me even writing that. A few years ago the Lord asked me to go into a very awful situation. It would cost everything. I obeyed but did not respond as Mary did. Worship was absent from my life.
This has been a recurring theme in my mind recently. Worship.
Worship is what God deserved. But it also has a redemptive power for us all. It takes our hearts, spirits and minds off of ourselves and places it rightly on God. Without worship of the goodness, love, kindness, mercy and grace of God, what do we have left? We fill that hole meant for worship with thoughts about ourselves. Our needs, wants, wishes and desires.
Here’s a confession. Worship does not come easy for me. Studying the Bible? Could do that all day long. But worship in song as we see in Scripture is much more of a challenge. The Lord is convicting me more and more that he longs for worship from me. It’s a part of our intimacy together.
Whether I worship in a group at church or worship on my own, God longs for worship from each one of us. It’s a holy place and joyful place.
Mary seemed to know this. Her response to the Lord was worship. Marvel. And wonder at the mercy of God. What a beautiful spirit she carried. No wonder God could trust her with so much.