2024 Worship Guide LINCOLN DAILY NEWS December 2024 Page 15 She briefly shares how her heart overflows with gratitude to God. She gives God all the glory and celebrates Him as her Savior. But then her heart and mind shift away completely from herself to what God is up to. He is holy, even in orchestrating this irregular pregnancy. Whereas Mary may rightly fear public shaming and painful rejection in Nazareth, God promises that Mary will someday be called blessed and find great respect. What in the world is Mary thinking? She apparently envisions that this infant, soon to be stirring in her womb, will involve political events, even bringing down rulers from their thrones and lifting up society’s most deprived. Why in the world does this young woman think of her baby in terms of the national covenant that Israel has with God? Isn’t it presumptuous for Mary to imagine that her little bitty baby has anything to do with God’s glorious and historic promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? The secret of Mary’s magnificent song is that Mary is walking by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7)! That is how Christmas begins and that is how Christmas endures today! Beyond the Christmas merchandise, the Christmas rush, the Christmas trees, and the Christmas pageantry, I invite you by faith to see the baby, chosen to be your Savior and the Savior of the world! (Luke 1:46-55) 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, just as he promised our ancestors.”
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