Thursday, Day 12 - Mary Sang to God

Mary is met by the angel Gabriel and told that she was going to give birth to the baby Jesus.  

And she said “Yes”.

After she said Yes to God, she decided to go visit her cousin Elizabeth.  

Remember Elizabeth was the wife of Zachariah and God had sent the angel Gabriel a few months before?

This is the way God’s word described what happened:

Luke 1:39-41
³⁹  Mary didn't waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, ⁴⁰  straight to Zachariah's house, and greeted Elizabeth.
⁴¹  When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit,

Just think…the baby inside of Elizabeth became excited to have Mary there, because even inside of their Moms, Elizabeth’s baby knew it was Jesus in Mary!

Now, Mary became very excited, and she began to sing about what God had done.

Her song is about how wonderful God is, and how wonderful the miracle is that she would be chosen to be the Mother of God’s Son. 

Here’s a video of Mary’s song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj4Mx7xHZ28

Christmas is a time to sing!

There are some great songs that celebrate Jesus’ birth.  Maybe you could learn to sing one this year.

One of these is called “Joy to the World”.  Listen to it at: http://www.the-north-pole.com/carols/joy.html

For Parents and Other Not Kids:

When God came to Mary she responded with a faith-answer “yes”.  Whether she knew or not all that was going to happen in doing that, she nevertheless said “yes Lord”.  A few verses later in Luke’s account she takes off to visit her cousin – Elizabeth (who is now in the sixth month of her own surprise pregnancy).   

Elizabeth and the baby within her are overwhelmed with Mary and the baby inside of her.  Elizabeth’s child, John – someday the Baptist – “leaps within her” proclaiming the special child Mary holds in her womb.

When Mary speaks she breaks out in praise.  Mary's praise is called “The Magnificat” and is from the interior of her soul for who God is, and what he has done. 

Luke 1:46-49 (NIV)
⁴⁶ And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.

I think the nature of humility is best expressed in the words:  "the Mighty One has done great things for me..." 

Humility is that recognition that where we are, and how we got there, are not merely a matter of "pulling up the bootstraps", but that God has worked in and through us and the benefits of that spill over into all areas of our lives.

Humility is not something that we go out looking for...it finds us in the places of worship, thanksgiving, reflection and praise.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)
⁵ Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

Jesus came in humility...he took on a role of serving something other than his own interests, his own rights, and his own stature.

Isaiah 42:1 (NIV)
¹ "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

Humility – so needed, so difficult.  It isn't an easy place to get to...our flesh rises up in defense of self-importance:  

Matthew 20:25-28 (NIV)
²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.
²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

In serving, there is a posture of humility - a renunciation of the self-importance of the flesh.

In humility we confess that something great has been done for us...and something great must be done in us if we hope to move further along in life at all.

1 Peter 5:5-7 (NIV)
⁵  ...All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

In Advent it is good to take inventory of our motives, our attitudes, our selfishness and those things that lead to a self-will that chooses life without thinking about God's will and word. 

Luke 1:38 (NIV)
³⁸ "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. 

Mary was a young maiden when the angel Gabriel paid her a visit.  She heard the words of the angel as the word of God and she said "yes, I'll serve you."

We will not be asked to be the mother of His son; but perhaps God will ask that you make a meal; visit someone; or write a letter; take time to have a conversation (preferably in person); or help someone in need.

If we can do what we do without fanfare, without expectation - even anonymously if we can – we can discover a hidden well of deep satisfaction that comes from silent humility.  

We are not serving each other...we are serving God.

Peace