Praising the God who disrupts
Luke 1:46-56
46 And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48 for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
56 And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.
Mary’s song – commonly called the Magnificat from the opening line about magnifying God – is in two distinct parts.
In vs. 46-49, Mary focusses on what God has done for her. God saw her in her lowliness, in her unimportance – and offered her a place where she would be remembered by “all generations”. She was correct. Few people from 2,000 years ago are remembered, even fewer are called blessed, but she, a nobody, is remembered and honoured. Yes, God did great things for her.
But at the end of vs. 49, she catches herself with the line, “holy is God’s name.” The blessing she has experienced in her life is not about her, it is all about God and God’s action. With that the song takes a significant twist. In each of the four verses that open the song, the word “me” or “my” appears, those words do not appear in the next 6 verses. God is the center. The God who shows mercy to those who fear him – those willing to humble themselves to his leading, to his direction. For God will overthrow the proud and the powerful, those who think they are in charge. God will bring down those who are rich in things and poor in generosity and compassion. The lowly, the hungry, the broken, the hurting, these are the ones God will lift up, these are the ones who will be filled. Filled not by their own ability and skill, but they will be raised up by God’s will and God’s hand. The God of mercy sees those who faithfully serve him, and he will help the faithful. God will keep his promise.
Vs. 56 reminds us that Mary’s song is not some abstraction, she was living this truth. Mary being with Elizabeth was a reminder each day they were together that God lifts up the lowly and the hungry. For she carried in her womb the one who will overthrow the powerful and the arrogant as he brings his reign into being.
PRAYER:
O Lord, we do rejoice in the ways you bring blessings to our lives. Blessings undeserved, blessings unmerited. To you and you alone goes the blessing and the praise and the honour, none of that is ours all of it is yours. Thank you. Use us in the continuing disruption of the world, to your glory and your honour. In Jesus’ name. Amen.