“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.'” (Luke 1:46-47)

As I read through this passage this morning, it reminded me that our souls and spirits should be in a state of continuous praise towards our God, who so abundantly cares for us and fulfills His promises to us every day!

Mary composes a beautiful song of praise often referred to as “The Magnificat” in Luke 1:46-55, as she reflects on the fact that she will bear the Son of God through a miraculous virgin birth. The angel Gabriel says to her, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33).

As she praises God for the coming miracle, Mary outlines some of the reasons that you and I should also have the utmost gratitude towards God:

• He is mindful of us (v48)
• He does great things for us for the glory of His Name (v49)
• He is merciful towards us (v50)
• He performs mighty deeds on our behalf (v51)
• He lifts up the humble (v52)
• He provides for our needs (v53)
• His helping hand is always on His people (v54)
• He fulfills His promises (v55)

While Mary was reflecting on the privilege bestowed upon her in fulfilling a key role in the redemptive history of mankind, in doing so she highlights characteristics of God that extend to all of us as His children.

Does your soul magnify the Lord and does your spirit rejoice in your Savior? When we fail to acknowledge God’s presence and provision in our daily lives, it can result in a thankless, unappreciative, critical, and self-centered attitude. But when we recognize that His character and promises are consistent and true no matter what we may be feeling or experiencing, it gives us the life-changing perspective that we can rejoice in the Lord always (Phil. 4:4)!

I encourage you to read through Mary’s prayer today, reflect on how you see His attributes demonstrated in your life, and thank Him for His faithfulness. May you compose your own song of praise in your soul and spirit, and may we all magnify the Lord– for He is worthy to be praised!