Songs of Christmas - The Mother's Song

Luke 1:46-55 NIV 

[46] And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord [47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [48] for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, [49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. [50] His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. [51] He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. [52] He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. [53] He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. [54] He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful [55] to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.46-55.NIV)

I can’t remember where I was when I first heard that I was going to be a father. I believe I was most likely at home, in a small apartment above our church.  

I remember where I was when my wife's waters broke, though. I was in the small apartment we move to after that. It was around midday. We quickly arranged for transport to the hospital. My daughter appeared almost twelve hours later. 

For most of us, hearing that we are going to have a child is enormously happy news. For some, the joy is short-lived, when the level of responsibility for another life sinks in. 

For a few, that latter thought leads to paranoid fear and drastic action.  

It’s precisely why sex should never, ever be taken likely.  

Here we see news being given to Mary that she will have a child. It was very surprising to her – for other reasons than we might imagine at first. At the same time, we see a response of deep faith in a situation that was far from favourable. We have a lot to learn here from a young woman with plenty to lose. 

There are three aspects to this passage. We'll examine the third in particular detail. But let’s first look at Visitation. 

Visitation 

Luke 1:26-27, 39-40, 46 NIV 

[26] In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, [27] to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  

[39] At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, [40] where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.  

[46] And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.26-46.NIV)

The festive season is a time for visitation: for going to see relatives and friends and spending time with them. It’s really awful to spend it alone. However, if you are the one receiving the visits, it can put a huge strain on you to prepare the food and drinks, to tidy the place up, to think of ways to keep people entertained. It can be a lot of hard work, work that isn’t always valued or appreciated the way that it should be. 

Mary has three visitations here. Each of them shows a slightly different aspect of the Christmas story.  

We see first a visitation of An Angel: 

Luke 1:26-28 NIV 

[26] In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, [27] to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. [28] The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.26-28.NIV)

We see a messenger of God visiting a largely insignificant teenage woman in a Galilean backwater village of no reputation (John 1:46). And this message is utterly extraordinary: she will bear and give birth to the Messiah! 

There were several aspects of this that were quite remarkable: 

• She was unmarried 

• She was a virgin 

• She was believed to be little more than a teenager 

Yet in this largely anonymous woman from a small town in a much looked down upon area, God found a fitting vessel for His Son. 

We should never, ever take this take this visitation at all lightly. 

The second visitation is that of A Mother, or rather, to a mother: 

Luke 1:39-41 NIV 

[39] At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, [40] where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. [41] When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.39-41.NIV)

Again, this is a singularly remarkable visitation. When my wife was pregnant, friends and family members came to check on her. We really valued it, even if it sometimes put a little strain on us. However, we were very grateful for their care.  

This, though, is something else. Elizabeth’s baby is John the Baptist. He is the forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 1:17). The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth and John the Baptist lept in the womb at the presence of the as yet unborn Saviour of the World! 

Elizabeth’s greetings was also something else: 

Luke 1:42-43 NIV 

[42] In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! [43] But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.42-43.NIV)

Elizabeth had received an amazing blessing: she had become pregnant when she had been barren for decades and was now past child bearing age (Luke 1:18, 36). Yet she felt blessed to be in the presence of Mary's child who had not yet even been born! 

The third visitation is one of A Great Joy. 

Just read the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). It is riven through with deep, abiding joy. It is a quite beautiful song. Mary is absolutely overcome with delight that she has been chosen to bear the Christ. That much is obvious. 

But, as we will explore later, Mary’s circumstances were quite troubling – as much troubling as they were exciting. Yet in the middle of them she found deep joy.  

That is truly a lesson for us all. 

Pregnant ladies meet with a lot of people during their pregnancy. So many doctors, nurses, specialists, obstetricians, anaesthetists and so on. Then there are health visitors, pharmacists... the list is nearly endless. Some of them even come to their homes.  

None of them had any where near the impact that these visitations had on Mary. It seems impossible to me that anyone else in history could ever experience anything like this.  

However, there are lessons we can learn from this about obedience, submission, and most of all, perspective, that help us when we endure difficult situations. Mary heard life-changing news. Yet she was not afraid or troubled. Instead, she rejoiced in what God was doing in her life and in the immense privilege He had given her. 

We would do no wrong to react in the same way when God touches our lives. 

Apart from visitation, we also see Vulnerability.  

Vulnerability 

Luke 1:34 NIV 

[34] “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.34.NIV)

My daughter is twenty-one years old at time of writing. She goes to the gym regularly, but given neither her mother nor I are particularly tall, let’s just say that neither she nor we have any issues with legroom when flying with most budget airlines. Our careers in the NBA wouldn’t even start. 

A few nights ago, she was on a late train home when she fell asleep and missed her stop. In a dark, cold, wet night, she needed to leave a railway station and head into a town centre to catch a bus home. It was the last bus. If she had missed it, she would have had to either choose between staying out until 4am or taking a taxi home, neither of which are particularly safe choices for a twenty-one year old woman on her own. 

Her mother and I were both concerned, and highly relieved when I met her in our local bus station. 

There are times in life when we are vulnerable. We might not like to admit it. Our pride might be wounded by it. But we would be weak if we did not recognise it.  

Life just does that to us sometimes. 

Mary was vulnerable. Very vulnerable. And in a lot of ways: 

• She was a woman. Whether modern society likes it or not, in her day a women was regarded as a lesser human being and could not earn their own crust. It was considered as shameful for a woman to bring home money to a family. She needed to marry for her own sake and, because of the dowry system, for her family. 

• She was young. Most commentators believe she was between twelve and sixteen years of age. She was what we would term a child bride. If you have a female relative of that age, consider them for a second and ask how you would feel for them to be in this position. 

• She would most likely not have been educated. Women of her social class were likely given enough education to be ‘a good wife’ and not much more than that. 

• She was unmarried. She was engaged, but the wedding had not been finalised and could still be called off. 

• She was about to be pregnant. For many women, that is a joyous occasion. But for a less-educated teenage bride-to-be, with her family's future on the line, this would have been an enormously stressful situation. 

• She was almost divorced. Matthew makes it plain: Joseph came close to calling off the wedding, and it took Divine intervention to talk him out of it (Matthew 1:18-21). But before we rush to condemn him, if Joseph had gone through with this, he might have been doing Mary a favour – under their law, the penalty for having sexual intercourse outside marriage was death (Deuteronomy 22:13-22). 

I don’t know about you, but I would not wish for any of the younger women in my family to be in a situation like that. 

Yet Mary was told that she was placed in that situation by God and for God (Luke 1:35). So this is her reaction: 

Luke 1:38 NIV 

[38] “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.38.NIV)

There are always times in our lives when we find ourselves in moments of vulnerability. Maybe it’s financial vulnerability due to the loss of a job or career, or relational vulnerability due to a bad patch in our marriage, or health vulnerability due to a condition or disease, or emotional vulnerability due to inner turmoil. Most of the time we battle against it and seek to get out of it as soon as we can. 

Not Mary. She accepted it. She embraced it. She saw that it was God’s will for her and committed to it until it passed. 

I don’t believe for one second that Mary was divine. The Bible is clear that she was not. Any belief otherwise is an attempt to ‘Christianise' latent pagan thinking. It isn’t right. 

I believe she was a less-educated teenage bride-to-be facing a truly life-altering situation that placed her at enormous risk and more vulnerable than any of us will ever know, but who responded with deep faith in God that produced deep joy. 

She was not divine, but she is a positive example for us all. 

Apart from visitation and vulnerability, we also see Victory. 

Victory 

Luke 1:47-55 NIV 

[47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [48] for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, [49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. [50] His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. [51] He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. [52] He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. [53] He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. [54] He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful [55] to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.47-55.NIV)

There are many songs that are deep and meaningful for us. Matt Redman's ‘Blessed Be Your Name’s one for me. On the secular front, Bon Jovi's ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ is also meaningful for me because I grew up in a similar poor working class background as the song describes. I know how it feels to be in that position. 

U2 have also written several songs that are meaningful to me: ‘Walk On', ‘Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of’, ‘Until The End Of The World’ for just a few. 

But this song from Mary... wow! 

Just..  wow! 

She sung six contrasting things about her victory: 

• She was in a humble situation, but God exalted her (v48) 

• The proud had gathered, but God had scattered them (v51). We don’t know what this refers to in particular. It could well be that she was subjected to shame and disgrace due to her position, but God had silenced them all.  

• Rulers had been brought down, but the humble had been lifted up (v52).  

• The hungry had been filled with good things, but the rich had been sent away empty (v53). 

• His undeserving servant Israel had been shown mercy (v54-55). 

  
  

This is a shout of victory. But note to whom the victory is attributed: 

Luke 1:46-50 NIV 

[46] And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord [47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [48] for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, [49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. [50] His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.46-50.NIV)

It’s not to her. It’s not by her efforts. It’s to God. It’s all to God. And to no-one else. 

Mary sung of a wonderful victory over very difficult circumstances, but that victory was not hers, it was God’s: 

Psalms 60:12 NIV 

[12] With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies. 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.60.12.NIV)

1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV 

[57] But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.15.57.NIV)

James 4:10 NIV 

[10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/jas.4.10.NIV)

This song is tremendous. It is beautiful. It is a resolute shout of joy and victory and praise. 

But we cannot – we absolutely cannot – forget why. This is all God. 

And the victory came in a place where we would rather not go. 

Conclusion 

Luke 1:46-47 NIV 

[46] And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord [47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.1.46-47.NIV)

A Brazilian mechanic named Alfredo Moser made a stupendously simple invention that is changing the lives of millions. It’s caller the litre of light, or the bottle of light. He puts some water in a litre plastic bottle with a little bleach to keep it clean, screws it tight and wedges into a hole cut in a corrugated iron roof. It provides strong enough refracted solar light to light up a dingy house and allow students to complete their homework, and their parents to cook safely. Simple, ridiculously cheap and highly effective. 

Mary took a decision here that took seconds, but her decision saved billions of lives by lifting them from spiritual poverty. 

What was that decision? 

In the midst of a deeply challenging set of circumstances, she trusted God and submitted to Him. Because of that, she gained a victory that none of us could ever match. 

Yes, she had a tremendous blessing through the visitations. But she faced overwhelming vulnerability with faith, and it was that which led to victory. 

At Christmas time, many of us celebrate not because we are happy at the coming of Christ, but to blot out and forget our vulnerability, even just for a moment. We feast to forget that we will be hungry tomorrow. 

Mary showed a better way. She trusted God. Even though He was placing her in a tremendously vulnerable position, risking her reputation and even her life, Mary still submitted to God.  

May we learn from this young woman from a Jewish backwater this Christmas and trust God no matter what. 

Prayer 

Lord God, I am challenged by Mary and how she trusted and submitted to You. I confess that I often want the blessing without the risk. But I trust You. I submit myself to Your will today. Show me what You want of me and I will follow You. Amen. 

Questions for Contemplation

• What was it about Mary's situation that made her vulnerable? 

• What can we learn from her three visitations? 

• Who was it that brought her victory? Why is this important?