Today’s Christmas Devotion
December 19, 2024
Bible Reading: Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s visit to Elizabeth was undoubtedly made to confirm Mary’s faith in the angel’s annunciation of the birth of Christ (Luke 1:26-38). Remember, the angel informed Mary of her cousin’s miraculous conception—a conception in Elizabeth’s “old age”—as a proof of Mary’s miraculous conception—a conception wrought by the Holy Spirit that would result in the birth of God’s “holy” child.
Notice, the confirmation of Mary’s faith was given after she believed, not before. Unlike Missouri, where folks have to see it to believe it, in the Kingdom of God, we have to believe it to see it. Our faith will be confirmed after we believe, never before as an incentive to believe. As Elizabeth points out in verse 45, only those, like Mary, who believe what God has told them will see God’s promises proven and performed in their lives.
The song of praise that Mary sings to the Lord upon the occasion of her faith’s confirmation by her cousin’s pregnancy is called “The Magnificat” (verses 46-55). It speaks of how God exalts and uses for His glory the humble and lowly. According to the Apostle Paul, God’s exaltation and use of the wise, mighty and noble is an exception to the rule (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). The rule, on the other hand, is God’s exaltation and use of the foolish, weak and lowly. It is this magnificent truth that caused Mary to breakout in song.
It was a nation of slaves (Israel) that God exalted and used as His chosen people. It was an eighty year-old failure (Moses) that God exalted and used to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. It was a little shepherd boy (David) that God exalted and used to rule over his people. It was a little orphan girl (Esther) that God exalted and used to deliver His people from certain annihilation. And it was a lowly handmaid (Mary) that God exalted and used to bring His Son into the world.
Are you ordinary rather than extraordinary? Would you be numbered among the world’s foolish, weak and lowly rather than among the world’s wise, mighty and noble? If so, then you’re a perfect candidate for God to exalt and use in taking His Son to the world today!
There is no limit to Christ’s exaltation and use of the Christian who spurns any credit and seeks only God’s glory.