Mary’s Song
Luke 1:46-56
Digging Deeper
In Luke 1:46, Mary shared in song, "Let my soul magnify the Lord." The definition of the word magnify is to cause something to seem more significant or more important. It can also mean assigning importance to, intensifying, dramatizing, heightening, extorting and praising. During this confusing and wonderful time in her life, Mary chose to magnify the Lord through her song.
In our lives, those things we magnify will affect our spiritual lives. We can magnify spiritual things that will help us grow stronger and more vibrant in our Christian faith, or we can magnify things that will cause our spiritual life to shrink, suffocate and be ineffective.
Here are a few ways we can have our souls magnify the Lord, which will produce positive spiritual growth and expansion in our lives.
Praising God through any expression, including song and prayer
Saying a kind or uplifting word to others
Writing an uplifting email or text message
Using our money unselfishly
Being grateful to God for all things
Giving food to the hungry
Consoling someone who is grieving
While we may never fully understand God's greatness, just like Mary, we can look for positive magnifications of God and expand and enlarge them. When things seem not to make sense, are overwhelming, or are too big for us to handle, we can praise God, starting even with tiny things. When we focus on magnifying even these minor things, we have hope and can look to God to provide a miracle in our lives. We can become aware that even small things can grow and become great moments of praise and thanksgiving to our wonderful God, who loves us so much. Like Mary, let us lift our spirits, rejoice and sing songs of God's glory.
WHAT NOT TO MISS
Mary's Song: Life Lessons for Sweeter Worship
Mary was confident that the birth of the Savior of the world, her Savior, would be worth any trial she would face along the way.
The Magnificat, in Christianity, is the hymn of praise by Mary, the mother of Jesus, found in Luke 1:46–55. The Magnificat has been incorporated into the Western churches' liturgical services at vespers and the Eastern Orthodox churches at the morning services.
What lessons can songs teach us for sweeter and deeper worship?
1. My outlook is deeply impacted by the recipient of my worship. (Luke 1:46-47)
-Mary is feeling the emotional and soul-impacting expression of her worship.
Songs for reflection:
"Magnify" by Marvin Sapp
"Total Praise" by Avalon
2. My outlook is deeply impacted by the understood impact of my worship. (Luke 1:48-50)
-Mary knows she is somebody to a holy God who offers mercy to her because she fears Him, and because of this, she will become an example.
Songs for reflection:
"A Man You Would Write About" by 4Him
"My Tribute" by Andre Crouch
3. My outlook is deeply impacted by the positioning of my heart. (Luke 1:51-52)
-Mary is able to see the majesty of God positioning her life because of her heart's posture.
Songs for reflection:
"Lowly" by CeCe Winans
"How Deep the Father's Love for Us" by Stuart Townend
"Encourage Yourself" by Donald Lawrence and The Tri-City Singers
4. My outlook is deeply impacted by the faithful provision of a good God. (Luke 1:53)
-Mary is able to experience the joy of God's sovereignty because of her perspective.
Songs for reflection:
"Great is Thy Faithfulness" by Thomas Chisholm
"He's Done Marvelous Things" by The Georgia Mass Choir
5. My outlook is deeply impacted by the promises that endure through His faithful covenant. (Luke 1:54-55)
-Mary is focusing her attention on the greater picture of God's enduring faithfulness to his people.
Songs for reflection:
"Joy to the World" arranged by Lowell Mason
"Joy to the World" with Whitney Houston and The Georgia Mass Choir
"Blessed Assurance" by Fanny Crosby
If we remain faithful to God, He can write or even rewrite our songs with a message of sweeter and deeper worship because our hope is in a coming Kingdom.
What lessons can songs teach us for sweeter and deeper worship? What is your song?
LIFE APPLICATION
In Luke 1:46 of Mary's song in the King James Version, she says, "My soul doth magnify the Lord." During this Advent season, we will all magnify something. For this week, as the hustle and bustle and pressures of Christmas to-do lists are upon us, choose positive ways your soul can focus on magnifying the Lord. Just like Mary, take time to praise God through prayer and song.
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Share your favorite Christmas song and why it is your favorite.
What does Mary teach us about having a humble heart in our circumstances?
What does Mary share in this passage about what she knows about the faithful provision of a good God?
How does Mary inspire us in our faith journey as we walk with God confident in His promises?
What kind of a song would you sing to God based on your current circumstances?
DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE PASSAGES
Day 1: Song of Praise- Psalm 145
Day 2: Song of Thanksgiving - Psalm 111
Day 3: Song of Deliverance - Psalm 46
Day 4: Song of Guidance - Psalm 23
Day 5: Song of Love - Psalm 36
PRAYER
Lord, my soul magnifies You. I praise You and sing songs of praise to You. I will magnify You so that others may see how wonderful and majestic You are. In the busyness of this advent season, let me focus and see You at work all around me. Like Mary, let me see the miracles You do in my life. Let me praise You and not take it for granted and forget about the reason for this season: Jesus Christ was born to save the world from sin and darkness. Let me be a light to those around me who need the gift of salvation as I glorify You in all I do each day.
