Mary’s Song
Scripture Reading — Luke 1:46-56
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
One of the most beautiful songs in the Bible is the one Mary sings as she reflects on God’s faithful work and prepares to become the mother of the promised Savior. Though she recognizes that all generations will call her blessed, she acknowledges with humility that all of this will take place only through “the Mighty One [who] has done great things . . .—holy is his name.” She goes on to exclaim about God’s mercy, his mighty acts, his compassion for the needy, and his faithfulness through all generations.
God, in his mercy, lifts up the humble such as Mary out of sheer grace. Mary glorifies and rejoices in the Lord because through the child she will bear, Jesus, God will bring salvation from sin.
Many of our songs today—even our Christian songs—focus more on us: what we do, what we need, and how we act. It’s important that we also focus on God, our Creator, Sustainer, and Savior—and all that he has done for us.
I love some old songs that proclaim “How Great Thou Art!” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” And some contemporary songs remind us that God is a “Good, Good Father” and that Christ alone is our “Cornerstone.”
That’s who the Lord is. And he loves you and me. Let’s rejoice in that today!
Lord God, thank you for Mary’s song. Thank you for the reminder that it’s all about you. We glorify and praise you for your great mercy to us. Holy is your name. Amen.
About the author — John Van Schepen
Dr. John Van Schepen is a retired pastor who served churches in Washington, Wisconsin, Indiana, Oregon and California. He and his wife, Willie, have been blessed with five children and several grandchildren.
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