“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord” (Luke 1:46)

Are you ready? It’s time again for those beautiful but sometimes hard-to-sing Christmas songs. While you sing of the herald angels, no crib for a bed, and the little town of Bethlehem, don’t forget the powerful song of Mary the mother of Jesus.  Her song is sometimes called The Magnificat. In Latin, “my soul magnifies the Lord,'' is magnificat anima dea Dominum. Full disclosure? We don’t know that Mary actually sang the words found in Luke 1:46-55, but she might have. Sung or spoken, they provide Christians a real source for worship. Let’s identify three critical elements from the song that we can apply to our own worship.

First, Mary is consumed with God Himself (1:46,47). As a result, her worship comes from within, not from without (“...my SOUL doth magnify…”)  She does not rely on the mood, the lighting, or the music to prompt her worship. Mary calls Him “God my Savior,” and is drawn to Him in a personal way. When you worship, is it a response from your very soul?

Second, Mary is humbled by her mission (1:48,49). She realizes the staggering role she is to play in history: to carry and give birth to the promised Messiah. Her worship humbly includes references to her “low estate” compared to God’s holy name, great acts, and mighty stature. No one else has the mission Mary had, but we still serve. When you worship, are you humbled at your own lowliness and awed by God’s grandeur?

Third, Mary is saturated with God’s Word (1:46-55). In these ten verses, her song refers to Genesis, First and Second Samuel, five Psalms, Habakkuk, and Malachi! Her worship is informed by scripture, not by shifting circumstances or experiences. When she worshiped, God’s Word naturally flowed from her lips. When you worship, do the unchanging truths of scripture draw you to God?

This Christmas, read Mary’s song and allow it to be a primer on worship. Allow it to move you to spontaneous worship. Allow it to cause your soul to magnify the Lord. No amount of figgy pudding, Black Friday deals, or tinsel can compare with that.