This beautiful song was not her own--filled with the Spirit and deeply rooted in Scripture, Mary effortlessly proclaimed the goodness, faithfulness, and power of the God she devoted her life to. We see through the following verses that excitement and anticipation continued to rise within her as she became more and more confident that that same God was becoming flesh inside of her; this young, teenage virgin was a catalyst to the fulfillment of His First Coming. Rejoice with Mary as she comes to grips of the true beauty and honor behind this miraculous conception of Immanuel--God With Us.

Now given your circumstances, what does your song of praise sound like?

Luke 1.46-49

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for He who is Mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is His name.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ Why was Mary able to rejoice in this manner?

+ Was Mary chosen by God to carry His Son because she was simply checking religious tasks off her to-do list? Or was Mary completely devoted to her God and seeking to deepen her relationship with Him?

+ In verse 46, what does it mean for one’s soul to magnify (or glorify, as other translations put it) the Lord?

+ In a similar sense, what does it mean for one’s spirit to rejoice in God in verse 47?

+ What has led Mary’s soul and spirit to react this way? [hint: vs. 48 + 49]

+ As a disciple of Jesus, what is the importance of possessing a humble posture? Here is the definition of humble:

“Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance.”

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ Like Mary, reflect over verse 49 and write out a brief Magnificat of your own, as you rejoice in the great things He has done for you, and as you rest in His holy name. Does His promise of a Second Coming show up in your song of rejoice? What in that promise is worth rejoicing over?

+ What does humility before the Lord look like? What in my life is restricting me from a humble stance before the Lord?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?

+ Do I need to humble myself before someone so that they can see my life more as a living testimony of Jesus? Can this act of humility lead to sharing about Advent and His Second Coming?