Day 37: Mary's God - Luke 1 vs 46-56

46-48 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He took notice of His lowly servant girl and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For the Mighty One is holy, and He has done great things for me.

50-53 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear Him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54-55 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. For He made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home. Luke 1:46-56 New Living Translation

Mary's obedience, humility and heartfelt praise to God is worthy of our admiration and is a good example to follow. But she is not a saviour - nor can she mediate for anyone to bring them closer to God. She was also not a virgin forever. The Bible teaches that Joseph (to whom she was 'engaged') woke up from the dream he'd been having and did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do. He took Mary as his wife “but did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born.” (Matthew 1:25)

What Mary has done for us, however, is to tell us what God is like - and why we should love and trust in Him too. Why was Mary so full of praise to God? vs 46-48

Why would future generations call her ‘blessed’? vs 49.

(Notice that she would not be remembered as 'blessed' because of what she had done for God - but for what God had done for her. That's true also of everyone who is ever saved.)

While we cannot earn salvation by our own merits, what do verses 50-53 show us about the sort of hearts that will experience, or miss out, on God's blessing?

We can think of Jesus' words when He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3.

Mary's blessedness, and the reason why she so praised God, was because she saw that, in sending Jesus, God was keeping the promise He had made to Abraham. She saw God's faithfulness shining through. So Mary's God is one who shows great kindness and delights in humility; He shows mercy to those who fear Him (in the right sense of that word); and He is true to His word - He keeps His promises! Oh how that should lead us to praise Him just as Mary did.

P.S. It seems from vs 56 Mary may have stayed with her elderly relative, Elizabeth, to assist with the birth of her child who would be called John. If so, it's another testimony to Mary's willingness to be a servant! She would certainly never have wanted the adoration she is given in some religious circles.