Luke 1:46b–55 (NRSV)
Read Luke 1:46b–55 on biblegateway.com
Verse 46And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, Verse 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, Verse 48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; Verse 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Verse 50His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. Verse 51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. Verse 52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; Verse 53he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. Verse 54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, Verse 55according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Devotion
We like our stuff. We like our stuff big—and even bigger. House, car, reputation, bank account—the bigger the better. And then mix in an economic system that seems to encourage excess in, well, everything, and you have a big focus on BIG.
Mary likes bigger, too. But so unlike our obsession with stuff and size, Mary wants God to be bigger. In fact, she wants to magnify God, especially a God who becomes small. For Mary the focus is on the startling prophecy that she will give birth to God. And this God’s ministry will be amongst the small and insignificant and overlooked. Children are blessed. Beggars are fed. The blind are given sight.
As for us and our infatuation with big and bigger—it makes you think.
Prayer
Holy Lord, forgive our silly chasing after stuff and size. By your Spirit shift our gaze to the manger and help us to magnify the infant Jesus lying humbly in the straw. Amen.