December 3 (Luke 1:46-48)
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God
my Savior, for he has looked on the humble
estate of his servant. (ESV)
After the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be
the mother of Jesus, she visited her cousin Elizabeth, who confirmed the
miracle by telling Mary that both she and her unborn child were blessed. And what did Mary do? She spoke words that would become known as
one of the most glorious poems and songs in the history of the world, the “Magnificat,”
so called from the opening word in the Latin version of this passage.
She begins by praising God and acknowledging His greatness
in noticing a humble girl like her. In His
unspeakable majesty, God is always looking down. He sees the humble and the downtrodden. He hears the cries of those with nowhere to go. He knows what you are facing, and perhaps
more than anything, it is this that makes Him great.
As we head toward Christmas, keep these opening words of
Mary’s song in mind. God sees past all
the lights and glitter and celebrations, past all the falsely happy faces to
the broken hearts they hide. He is looking
past all of that…at you.
As a special feature this month, each devotion will include a link to
one of the many glorious, musical versions of the “Magnificat.” Each one includes the Latin text as
well. This week’s selection can be found
here.
Father, I need to know that You see me. I need to know that when others are rushing past, You see the deepest needs of my heart. Because I know that You do indeed see me and care for me, I add my voice to that of Mary, magnifying You and rejoicing in God my Savior. Amen.
Copyright © 2018 by Steven R. Perkins
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