“And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.’“

Luke 1:46-49

–

DECEMBER 3, 2024

Have you ever been in a spiritual rut? I was struggling through a spiritual dry spell recently, and felt frustrated with how far I felt from God. I tried to force myself to feel different, to be different, but my efforts only amplified my feelings of disconnectedness. I prayed and read the Bible, but my devotions were hurried (and usually when I was already exhausted from chasing my small daughter all day).

In an effort to draw closer to God, I signed up for a Bible study. I was a little intimidated when I became aware how much homework would be involved, but I decided to give it my all. Little did I realize how great an impact setting aside time each day to meditate on God’s Word would have on my relationship with Him. (I know, I know, it should be obvious, right? But sometimes, we find ourselves ignoring the obvious.)

As I meditated on God’s Word, I began to see more clearly how beautiful God is. All of a sudden, it didn’t matter that I was using what little free time I had while my daughter was sleeping to read the Bible and meditate on God’s Word. I looked forward to my daily time in the Word. I would leave this time super excited to share with my husband what God had revealed to me about Himself.

In Luke 1:46-55, Mary sings a beautiful song to God. Her great joy at beholding the beauty of God bubbles over in a song of praise. Rather than feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of being an unwed mother, she is overcome by God’s goodness and mercy toward her. She sees God’s greatness more clearly than ever before. In her song, Mary paints a vivid picture of how our mighty God keeps His promises, delivers His people, executes justice, bestows mercy, elevates the humble, and cares for the vulnerable. How can she keep from praising Him?

When we see God clearly, when we stop to behold Him and remember the wonderful things that He has done, we can’t help but rejoice in His goodness, beauty, and greatness. May our prayer be for God to reveal His greatness to us as we seek Him in His Word each day!

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • Can you remember a time when you felt disconnected to God? Why do you think that was?
  • Why do we sometimes forget how wonderful God is?
  • How can you spend time meditating on God’s goodness today?

 

Church Reading Plan: Nahum 1; Luke 17