August 20 2024

Tuesday August 20

Mary’s Grateful Joy

Luke 1:46-56

46 And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. 50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever."

56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

We are presently discussing the divine song of joy that Mary in singing as she shares with Elizabeth the wonderful news that she is miraculously pregnant with the Messiah! Elizabeth is rejoicing, John is “leaping for joy” in Elizabeth’s womb (v. 44), and Mary joins them with her praise to the Lord!

In John 10:10, Jesus said that “the thief (the devil), has come to steal, kill, and destroy, but I Am come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly!” For sure the devil is at work even today to steal and destroy your joy! Real life and joy come only by a relationship with Jesus Christ! There is a major difference between earthly happiness and heavenly divine joy! God wants us to live fulfilled, complete, and joyful lives.

Mary’s “spirit” was rejoicing because she had found her joy in God, and had experience Him as her Savior (v. 47). She can’t help but respond with praiseful joy and “magnify the Lord” (v. 46). Now in verse 48, Mary expresses her grateful joy and teaches us a great lesson about what stands between us and this heavenly, divine joy. Mary proclaims, “For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant.”  My friend, the one thing that keeps from experiencing this kind of joy is pride.

Mary reveals the humility of her heart as she declares that she is a maidservant, and pictures herself as a slave to God, as a servant to the Lord. She is deeply conscious that she could never merit the exceptional honor that has been conferred upon her. We do not deserve or in anyway merit God’s love and grace and the great salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Everyone who truly knows God and lives in the light of His presence cannot but be conscious of his or her utter unworthiness of such love and favor.

It is only when, like Mary, we are in the low estate of humility that the Lord will lift us up. James 4:6 reminds us that “God resist the proud but gives grace to the humble”. I believe this verse summarizes the message of the whole Bible and everything about our lives! God stands against the proud and gives grace to the humble. Over and over again we find verses that teach us this truth!

Psalm 138:6, “Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar. It might be that Mary had this verse in mind as she sings her song! The wisdom Book of the Bible, Proverbs, has numerous verses on this subject! Proverbs 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 16:5, “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.” 

Proverbs 16:18-19, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Proverbs 18:12, “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.” Yes, the middle letter of sin is I, the middle letter of pride is I. It is pride that keeps us from experiencing the grace of God that we desperately need every day. We need to know that it is only by the grace of God that we can receive His salvation, or anything good from His hand! Paul proclaimed, “By the grace of God, I am what I am!” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

It is when we humble ourselves that we receive God’s grace for salvation! It is when with grateful hearts that we humbly submit to the Lord’s will for our lives, that we experience divine joy that the devil can’t steal or destroy!

God bless!