“And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; … For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.”
Luke 1:46-50 NKJV
I finally made it to the New Testament. Finishing the Old Testament feels a bit like an accomplishment and I can’t wait to re-read the gospels with His law fresh in my mind.
As I read about Mary, I imagined it what it must have been like for her. An Angel of G-d visited her. The Holy Spirit came upon her and the power of G-d overshadowed – or episkiazō– her. The word for overshadowed in the Greek means to be enveloped by a cloud, it was the same concept used in the Exodus 40 that described G-d as a cloud leading His people. In other words, His creative, powerful spirit completely enveloped her.
After encountering the Holy Spirit, Mary seeks refuge with Elizabeth. Was Mary scared and confused? Did she have morning sickness? Was she excited? Was she worried? Mary had to know she would be misunderstood and spoken about. She knew rejection would surely come. Is that why she fled to Elizabeth? Did Mary go there knowing that she would need to be strengthened to face the days ahead? Perhaps.
Somewhere in those first 3 months, Mary found peace with the will of G-d. I imagine she experienced a wide range of emotions before she made her declaration: My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
I think about the friendship of the two women -one a carrier of the forerunner of G-d and one a carrier of the Son of G-d. They each carried a purpose and a calling within them for 9 months before they birthed, raised, and released the Word. And, I find it interesting that both initially remained silent – Elizabeth for 5 months and Mary for 3.
Perhaps part of carrying the calling of G-d is having the fortitude and grit to stand firm – and perhaps, the grit and strength come from the place of hiddenness. Elizabeth and Mary didn’t just hear the word of G-d over their lives – they believed Him. As a result, they had faith that allowed them to stand up and stand firm.
He regards those who follow Him. He does great things for us – not because we deserve it – but because He’s just that good. I don’t know about you, but that’s something to rejoice about.
Father – thank You for Your Word and Your Son. I am excited to read Your truth anew. Let Your truth penetrate and transform my heart. You are good and You keep doing good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen.
Daily Reading: Luke 1, John 1:1-14
October 1, 2022