Time of Preparation
Begin by taking inventory of your surroundings. Are things in your vicinity conducive to a time of personal worship? Are there any changes or adjustments (turning off tech, making yourself comfortable) you need to make before you begin?
When you are ready, take some time to sit in silence and prepare your heart for worship. Ask God to clear away any distractions that might keep you from being truly present in this moment.
Encounter With God
In this first movement, we simply seek to see God for who He is: the One worthy of worship.
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…”
—Luke 1:46 (NRSV)
Some texts live in certain seasons, and that makes perfect sense. The Passion narratives need retelling as Good Friday and Easter approach, and we would be surprised to hear Luke’s account of the shepherds in their fields abiding during the month of September (although that may actually be closer to Jesus’ actual birth date).
But some of our seasonal texts deserve revisiting outside of their respective dates on the church calendar. The song of Mary, recorded in Luke 1, is certainly one of those. It is a magnificent declaration of the Kingdom that finds its advent in Christ’s birth but continues to be our heart’s desire as we await its final consummation. The language of God’s greatness, God’s mercy, God’s justice, and God’s promises is worth sitting with any time of year.
Today you are invited to read Mary’s song slowly as a meditation on who God is: the Mighty One who does great things, the One who shows mercy and strength, the God who exalts the humble and remembers his promises. This is language of deep praise and reverence, and it worthy of our time. Following a time of reflecting on this text, you’re invited to listen to a hymn it inspired more than 60 years ago:
Read this text slowly and prayerfully. As you read, take note of the words and phrases that stand out most to you. Let those words and phrases stir your heart to worship of the One who inspired them.
Mary’s Song of Praise
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;
indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
—Luke 1:46-55 (NRSV)
SONG OF ENCOUNTER: Tell Out My Soul (lyrics here)