Mary responded to her arrival at Elizabeth’s with overflowing praise for God. She was just pregnant with Jesus, and Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John the Baptist. Mary had traveled from Nazareth to the town where Elizabeth and Zechariah lived, a distance of over fifty miles. The trip would have given her time to think about what the angel said and what was happening to her.
Mary and Elizabeth would have understood God’s plan for the Jewish people. God had promised to bless all nations through the descendants of Abraham. The prophets and the Psalms spoke of God’s mercy, hope, and faithfulness. However, the Jews were under oppressive Roman rule, which bullied them and kept them poor.
Praise for God’s Rescue
For God’s plan to come to fruition, there must be reversal, revolution, and victory over evil. God would need to topple the evil ones in power. Jesus had just been conceived, but His presence had made Elizabeth’s baby jump for joy in the womb. Elizabeth knew Mary was carrying her Lord without being told. God was doing something, and Mary’s joy overflowed into praise for her Lord.
Luke 1: 46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! [1] Mary’s song is known as the “Manificat” as that is the first word in the Latin translation. Praise does magnify the Lord and makes Him known to others. Mary couldn’t help rejoicing as she considered what God was doing through her. She didn’t want the glory but wanted to give God the glory.
God turns the world’s values upside down. 1 Corinthians 1: 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. [2]
Praising God This Christmas Season
Mary praised God by using the Scripture she knew. God was doing something new, and she knew the character of God. He was powerful, holy, merciful, and faithful. So, she praised Him, and we still use her song to glorify God.
This Christmas season, as you consider the story of Jesus’ birth, remember to praise God. Jesus came down to walk the earth as a man to die on the cross to pay the price for our sin. He rose again to give us the promise of life eternal with Him. John 1: 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.[3] God deserves our overflowing praise.
To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/god-speaks-in-worship
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.