Magnify!

Imagine if your family and friends held a birthday party - for YOU - but failed to invite you to the party. Wouldn't that be odd? I wonder if that is sometimes how Jesus feels at Christmas time. It's easy to celebrate Christmas with much fervor, and yet end up overlooking the honored guest.

We continue to look at Mary, today looking at her song found in Luke 1:46-55.

Mary song begins with these words - "My soul magnifies the Lord."

What does it mean to MAGNIFY? We usually think of "magnify" as making something larger - but certainly we cannot make God any larger, can we? But "magnify" also means to "make well known," and that is something we can do. When you cooperate with God's authority (as did Mary), you magnify him!

Can you tell what changes in verse 50 of Mary's song. (Go back and read Luke 1:46-55 again.)

In verse 50, Mary's words move from a personal focus ("God, have your way with me") to a Kingdom focus ("God, have your way with the world.") The Jesus story may begin personally - but it never ends there. And, to be honest, there are winners and losers in the song of Mary. Re-read the song, and see if you can identify them.

Who wins? Who benefits? Mary - the lowly servant girl. Those who fear him from generation to generation (they receive God's mercy). Those of low degree (they are exalted). The hungry (they are filled with good things). Israel (who is helped by God).

Who doesn't benefit? The proud (they are scattered). The mighty (they are put down from their thrones). The rich (they are sent away empty).

So does the song of Mary give you hope and inspiration? Does it raise you up?

Or - if you are in a position of considerable influence or position - does the song challenge you, making you think about how you have used that influence?


This week's theme - Keep a Christ-centered focus.

Use your Advent calendar to find practical suggestions to do that.


Finally, I'd like to share an article written by a neighbor pastor, Steve Olsen of First Baptist Church in Bellville. I found his words very helpful in keeping us from being distracted by foolish arguments about how to observe the holidays. To read more go to Pastor Steve's blog. He writes:

"The Christmas season is now upon us. You see the ads on television with Santa endorsing products from egg nog to television to cars. You walk into stores and see the decorations and hear the songs. And in some stores they may say 'Merry Christmas' and others will simply wish you 'Happy holidays.'

I do not get as bothered as some by how our culture does not comprehend or celebrate the meaning of Christmas. The Christmas story as told by the apostle John stated, 'The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.' Jesus was not recognized or received then, and the same remains true to this day.

This may sound trite for me to say, but here it goes, 'Remember the reason for the season.' It is not our culture’s responsibility to celebrate Christmas, it is ours as the Body of Christ, as his followers. Walk around with this attitude that Jesus who is the light of the world now lives within you. He came from heaven and took on flesh and suffered and died for our sins. Through faith in Him we are adopted in God's family and brought close to Him.

It is now our responsibility, our privilege, to share this great news with those around us. What better time of year than this. So don’t be discouraged or bothered that some have missed the divinity of the nativity. That is our opportunity to let the light of Christ shine through us."