"My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." This is the beginning of Mary offering her praise to God as He confirms her status as an unwed mother as divine. "Here is a rich offering of praise from Mary. It is remarkable for its theology and use of the Old Testament. She was a young girl, perhaps about thirteen years old who, like all the people of her day, had no personal copy of the Scriptures. Her familiarity with the Word of God... was settled in her heart and was readily on her mind when she opened her mouth in worshipful praise. What a benediction it would be for the church today if the young could be so biblically literate and devout."
What a breath of fresh air are John MacArthur's words in his commentary on Luke. The beautiful picture he reveals from God's word about Mary far exceed what the Catholic church falsely proclaims about her. And as I read the chapter from his commentary on Luke 1:46-55, I was filled with excitement and respect for this precious young woman and her faith. I was also filled with shame for my own continued lack of faith and trust in my Lord. But thus is the status of the ongoing growth of the Christian life: shame, repentance and revival. That is the essence of the study of the Word of God. And while I'm saddened at the slowness of my own progress, I'm thrilled at God's continued patience with me. And how joyous is the delight of new revelation of the truth of His divine Word.
He goes on to say in this chapter that praise is central to worshiping God. And that true worship is defined by our Lord to be in "spirit and in truth". (John 4:23-24) What are the prerequisites to worship? First, Dr. MacArthur says, a true worshipper must be controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Next, the thoughts must be focused on God. Next, it requires repentance. Lastly, it requires humbly accepting His will no matter what the circumstances.
He says, "Mary is an example to all believers of faith, humility, and submission to Gods' will...Mary's praise is the expression of her faith in God, her love for Him, and her deep understanding of Scripture." What a great way to begin a new year! To walk in continued faith in God, not proudly as though we have anything to do with it, but humbly like Mary who found herself in a miraculous and scary position at such a young age. As I think back on 2020 and all the rhetoric thrown out at every direction ie. conspiracy theories, criticism from Republicans and Democrats and all in between, it's sickening. And the sickest of all are we as Christians who find ourselves in the midst of these discussions instead of against it all with the Power of the Most High God, whom we say we worship.
The Word of God is just that! It is the Word of the Creator and Sustainer of all things. What in this world should we fear? And what are we proclaiming to a non-believing world, in the midst of these weird times, about hope. What should the word "hope" be for believers: "Helping Others Pursue Eternity". We have a message to share. And we must remember "in this world 'we' will have trouble but take heart, 'Jesus' has overcome the world." "My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."
