Heart of Worship: 30 Days to Deeper PraiseSample

Hey guys, it’s CAIN and we’re honored to bring you today’s passage from the book of Luke 1:46-55 (NIV) known as ‘Mary’s Song’.

“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.””

To set the scene for these beautiful words, we find Mary, the mother of the Savior of the world, sharing a song straight from her heart to her heavenly Father. But at this time, she didn’t look much like a figure who would be remembered from generation to generation. Instead, she looked like a poor, humble teenager from Nazareth. She had no economic power, and she had no desirable social status. Mary was engaged to be married to a carpenter from Bethlehem, but apart from that, there was nothing notable about this young woman. Mary, though gentle and meek, had her life flipped upside down by a tremendous God calling to her.

Of all the potential candidates in all of Israel, it was Mary who was chosen to bear the One who would be called the Son of the Most High. She received this incredible news with semi-understanding submission, but once she ran to her relative Elizabeth’s home, she received confirmation that this God calling was indeed true. At once, her semi-understanding submission became a deep belief, and she opened her mouth and worshiped God with these beautiful words.

“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.”

No one was more aware than Mary of her lowly position in the world’s pecking order. She knew that by the world’s standards and understanding, she had nothing remarkable about her; she had nothing to bring to the table. She was painfully aware of her need for a Savior. And yet, she was also cheerfully aware that only a magnificent God could use someone as lowly and mild as she to usher in that very same Savior. She couldn’t help but praise a God who would confound the wise by using the most unlikely person for something so world-changing. And this surprising contradiction was merely the beginning as God would send his Son into the world through Mary and have Him establish a kingdom, not by force and violence, but by service and love. He would alter eternity by welcoming in the most unlikely, the spiritually sick and hurting, through His grace and giving them the gift of eternal life.

It’s this duality of being both a sinner desperately in need of saving and a highly blessed child of God, holy and blameless in His sight, that inspired Mary’s Song and likewise many of our worship songs today. When we’re faced with the reality that, even while we were dead in our sin and trespasses, Christ died for us, a reasonable reaction is worship. So, wherever you might find yourself today - spiritually stagnant or ablaze with adoration - we pray that you, like Mary, find wonder in the inconceivable nature of God. We pray that when you remember the fact that Jesus found you in your lowest position and brought you up to sit with Him in the heavenly places that you open your mouth and worship Him today!