Scripture: Luke 1:39-55
". . . My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . . He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy . . ."
Hymn: "I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath" UMH 60
Isaac Watts, 1715; alt. John Wesley, 1737
". . . Happy are those whose hopes rely on Israel's God,
. . . Whose truth forever stands secure,
Who saves th'oppressed and feeds the poor,
For none shall find God's promise vain. . . ."
Prayer:
Strong God of eternal promises, I thank you for entering this world for our sakes. Just as Mary sang for joy at the wonderful news, let me rejoice at your continuing promise to always be near me.
O Lord, I know that such news is too good to keep to myself, but I confess that I excel at doing exactly that. When I forget or refuse to share the gospel, let that old, old story burn a hole in my heart until I let it pour out like water to a thirsty soul.
Showing posts with label Magnificat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magnificat. Show all posts
Friday, February 29, 2008
Friday, December 22, 2006
Advent, Week 3: Thursday - Saturday
Recommended readings from the fourth Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):
Micah 5:2-5a
Luke 1:47-55 or
Psalm 80:1-7
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)
God is turning the world right side-up! To me that is what the Magnificat (Mary's song of praise) is all about. God has regarded our helpless state (as sinners all), and has helped us by sending us a Savior. This is what we wait for (symbolically) during Advent. We remember the first waiting for Christ, we recall our own helpless state before we first welcomed the Savior into our lives, and we wait again for the Savior's return.
What I find fascinating is that Mary, a first-century Jew, sang about this coming as present fact. Though only in the beginnings of her pregnancy with the Holy Child, she celebrated what God was doing, as though it were already done. The longer I live, the more confused I tend to get about the yet-not-yet-ness of God's Reign. I suspect that this is because God has already accomplished salvation, even as in our time and space-bound reality, Christ is still reconciling all creation to God. Sometimes I see it as God having "turned loose" salvation in our time and space and it's a glorious, complex, seeing-it-only-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-canvas work in progress. Sometimes I just say "thank you" to God and leave off wordering about it.
Too seldom, however, do I sing for joy because of God's mercy in working salvation in our sinful world--and in sinful me. Dear God, accept today my echo of Mary's Magnificat. You have helped your servant Israel, and specifically you have helped, over and over again, this least of your ingrafted servants: me!
Holy is your name, and holy is the Child about to be born, again, in our midst!
Micah 5:2-5a
Luke 1:47-55 or
Psalm 80:1-7
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)
God is turning the world right side-up! To me that is what the Magnificat (Mary's song of praise) is all about. God has regarded our helpless state (as sinners all), and has helped us by sending us a Savior. This is what we wait for (symbolically) during Advent. We remember the first waiting for Christ, we recall our own helpless state before we first welcomed the Savior into our lives, and we wait again for the Savior's return.
What I find fascinating is that Mary, a first-century Jew, sang about this coming as present fact. Though only in the beginnings of her pregnancy with the Holy Child, she celebrated what God was doing, as though it were already done. The longer I live, the more confused I tend to get about the yet-not-yet-ness of God's Reign. I suspect that this is because God has already accomplished salvation, even as in our time and space-bound reality, Christ is still reconciling all creation to God. Sometimes I see it as God having "turned loose" salvation in our time and space and it's a glorious, complex, seeing-it-only-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-canvas work in progress. Sometimes I just say "thank you" to God and leave off wordering about it.
Too seldom, however, do I sing for joy because of God's mercy in working salvation in our sinful world--and in sinful me. Dear God, accept today my echo of Mary's Magnificat. You have helped your servant Israel, and specifically you have helped, over and over again, this least of your ingrafted servants: me!
Holy is your name, and holy is the Child about to be born, again, in our midst!
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