Introduction
Hello church and welcome to our Advent journey! May this time you’ve set aside to spend in the word bring reassuring peace to your heart!
Let’s begin with a brief pause to settle our thoughts and rest our soul to receive refreshment from God’s word.
Let’s begin with a brief pause to settle our thoughts and rest our soul to receive refreshment from God’s word.
Opening Prayer
Merciful and Mighty God, thank you for being mindful of us. Please ready our hearts to receive Your word and the Peace You have for us today. Refresh us with Your presence and lift up our heads, oh Lord. When our hearts are overwhelmed within us, lead us to the Peace that transcends all things.
Today's Scripture - Luke 1:46-56
We pick up with the song Mary sings - after being visited by an angel, told she will carry the Messiah, visited her cousin Elizabeth who is also miraculously pregnant, been encouraged and affirmed in the miracle and magnitude of the child she is carrying. Her response is a song of praise:
And Mary said; “My soul glorifies the LORD and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant,
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For the Mighty One has done great things for me -- holy is His name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as He said to our fathers.”
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
And Mary said; “My soul glorifies the LORD and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant,
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For the Mighty One has done great things for me -- holy is His name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as He said to our fathers.”
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
God's word to us, a lamp for our feet, a light on our path. Thanks be to God.
Reflection
The best antidote to our pride, self-congratulations and misplaced trust is to employ -- that is, put to work -- the practice of celebrating and magnifying God and His character. Turning our hearts to sing God’s praise guards us from putting trust into worldly riches and earthly power for sustenance. For as the psalmist says; “Nations rage, kingdoms fall, [God] utters His voice, the earth melts.”
Earthly Kingdoms come and go, jobs and the economy fluctuate. People will disappoint. But God’s mercy is a perpetual mercy, the privileges afforded us as His Children are lasting and His Kingdom is eternal and unattached to any governing system of this fallen world. The honor God bestows is an honor that does not fade.
Something Mary reveals to us in her song is her knowledge and use of scripture. She alludes to many Old Testament passages, incorporating their truths into her own song of praise. She is poor and from a nowhere town. She is not one of the educated, important teachers of the law. And yet, she has God’s word hidden in her heart and has come to know God’s character through it. This is remarkable when you think deeply about it! All she has is the first covenant, the promises and unfinished story. And still, she celebrates God’s goodness, faithfulness, and power. She seeks no honor of her own, she seeks no power or fame, rather she magnifies God and rejoices in her Savior.
Let us, who have the rest of the story, the new covenant and all the promises fulfilled in Christ, celebrate likewise - for God alone is consistently and absolutely worthy of our allegiance, our loyalty, and our praise. God alone.
Earthly Kingdoms come and go, jobs and the economy fluctuate. People will disappoint. But God’s mercy is a perpetual mercy, the privileges afforded us as His Children are lasting and His Kingdom is eternal and unattached to any governing system of this fallen world. The honor God bestows is an honor that does not fade.
Something Mary reveals to us in her song is her knowledge and use of scripture. She alludes to many Old Testament passages, incorporating their truths into her own song of praise. She is poor and from a nowhere town. She is not one of the educated, important teachers of the law. And yet, she has God’s word hidden in her heart and has come to know God’s character through it. This is remarkable when you think deeply about it! All she has is the first covenant, the promises and unfinished story. And still, she celebrates God’s goodness, faithfulness, and power. She seeks no honor of her own, she seeks no power or fame, rather she magnifies God and rejoices in her Savior.
Let us, who have the rest of the story, the new covenant and all the promises fulfilled in Christ, celebrate likewise - for God alone is consistently and absolutely worthy of our allegiance, our loyalty, and our praise. God alone.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.
Let men their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.
Closing Prayer
As you go about your day, carry this short prayer with you:
Lord Jesus, Your mercy is everlasting.
In my worry, help my heart to remember that You reign.
In my worry, help my heart to remember that You reign.
Take a few moments now to pray to God, Who brings down rulers and lifts up the humble.
Thank you for joining us today. On Wednesday we will reflect together on the things that satisfy our soul’s hunger. Until then, may the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
