"Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean." (Luke 1:29 NLT)
"Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true. And then the angel left her." (Luke 1:38 NLT)
Mary responded affirmatively to what she didn’t see or understand. This is an encouragement to me in this unusually quiet Christmas season. Mary found joy in her journey. Before the end of the chapter, she’ll be singing praises to God. She was only a few weeks pregnant, the nativity story had hardly begun, but she stopped to praise God amidst the unknown.
"Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!" (Luke 1:46 NLT)
Despite her questions and concerns, Mary gives God glory. This song wasn’t an after-delivery ditty or sung at the end of their journey to Egypt and back. No, she sang the Magnificat just a few days into her mothering adventure, while Jesus was just a whisper in her womb and she hadn’t told a soul. She didn’t yet know how Joseph would respond, what her parents might say, how here small community would react. She went ahead and sang for joy in the foggiest stretch of motherhood: the place between conception and confirmation.
Mary teaches us that praise should not be reserved for the grand finale. We needn’t wait until our story is neatly wrapped up and the facts are lined up like tin soldiers. No, there is an invitation to praise Him right now, in the midst of the chaos and crazy, in the harsh light of our questions and doubts.
When Mary opened up her mouth to sing praise, she was imbued with strength of song. The Holy Spirit had filled her cousin (v. 41) and it’s safe to say the seed in Mary’s belly set her soul on fire as well.
When we sing to the Creator, we access the strength of the Spirit. I don’t know why, but our willingness to open our mouths in adoration makes all the difference. Powerful things happen when we praise God.
Where are you at in your story today? Is God calling you out into a new journey that you don’t quite comprehend? Are you in the middle, where you’re questioning what will actually matter? Are you nearing the last few turns and wondering if you’ve made a difference? Wherever we are in our journey, it’s time to stop and praise Him. Don’t wait until the end; apart from praise you may lack to the strength to get there. Instead, open your mouth today, in the mess and mayhem and mystery. Let the praises of God pour out and the Spirit pour in. When you do you’ll find the strength and joy to stay the course.
"Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise You." (Psalm 51:5 NLT)
Lord, forgive us for shutting our mouth in seasons of uncertainty. In our fight to keep from complaint, we may have inadvertently shut off praise. We can open our mouths today, in the middle of the mystery amidst our pilgrimage, and pour forth praise. Even if our story stops here and now, You are worthy. We pause right now to praise Your name, to acknowledge Your power and might, Your love and kindness, Your mercy toward mankind. You are all the reason we require to keep on in obedience. We are grateful to belong to such a gracious God, may we glorify You until the last footfalls of our journey. Amen.