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I haven’t gotten past the first 11 words of this week’s text from Luke 1:46-56. Here are the words that I’m stuck on: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God.” I haven’t gotten past those words yet. I just can’t get my heart past them. And I’m not sure I want to.
It’s a paradox. It doesn’t really make sense. We can’t make God greater can we? No. We can’t make God greater by praising him just like we can’t make the ocean greater by praising it. It’s a paradox.
What Mary is showing us by pushing into the paradox is that the only thing that we humans can do with God is come more in line with his reality. All we can do is see him for who he actually is. Right? For example, that’s what worship is- worship is thinking on the Lord in a way that makes him as big for us and as glorious and as powerful and as wonderful as he actually is. And when we do that- when we magnify God in our hearts- that’s when we get that thrill of hope.
Let’s magnify the Lord in our hearts. Make him the greatest things in our hearts, and watch how every other worry becomes small.
Luke 1:46-56
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, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
