"My Soul Glorifies the Lord"

 

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel."

 

"And Mary said: 'My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.' "

 

            Last Tuesday afternoon I joined a group from our church and from Community Christian Church to hand out a truckload of food to about 280 households up at the food pantry. I went mainly to observe what this act of generosity on your part would look like. It turned out to be quite a moving experience for me. The distribution took place outside, and it was about 10 degrees, though after a while I could not feel any of them. (My whining about the cold brings comments from some people I know from Minnesota who find such temperatures to be refreshing, but not cold. Also, my son in Alaska responded to my complaining, "Ten degrees above? I hope you wore your long sleeves.")

            Kathy and I were assigned to the meat distribution in the line. It is true that there were a few in the line who grasped, trying to take more than their share. There were a few in line who did not seem to be content with what was offered. But the overwhelming majority of those in the line were very thankful and patient people. Many were carefully planning just how they could use what they were given in preparing meals for their families. And some of them, in addition to expressing thanks, also extended the blessing of God to us. Here were people who are going through a very difficult time, in need of some extra food to make it through the month, who were both thankful and content, who were blessing the volunteers, and who were also looking in faith for a better day.

            It is those people who remind me of Mary. She was one of the righteous poor in Israel, people of faith and hope who waited for God to act, who were steadfast in prayer and active in mercy. Mary came to a place in her life where she sang a song of praise to the Lord. There is a detail of grammar here that gives some insight into Mary: She sings "My soul glorifies the Lord," and that verb tense indicates a continual habit of prayer. Mary was used to praising God. And then she sings, "my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." That is a verb with a different tense, indicating a particular instance of praising God, probably after the angel tells her she will be the mother of the Messiah. So she praises God regularly, probably in worship, and she praise God specifically when she has received the blessing of God. Leon Morris says that Mary has come to the place in her life where God the Savior has become "God my savior."

            We learn that God has chosen a humble servant, Mary, to be the mother of Jesus. In the prophet Micah we learn that he has chosen a small and insignificant place, Bethlehem, for the Messiah to be born.

            "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, in humble surroundings and to a poor and righteous family, so that whoever believes in him, Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, should not perish, but have everlasting life."

            Jesus came with love, the love of God. Love is the mercy of God.

"He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever."

            Mary sings of the mercy of God that extends to all those who fear him (verse 50). This mercy is the steadfast love that the Old Testament talks about, the loyal and faithful and gracious love of God. It is love that not only comforts, but it also lifts up and rescues those who trust in him. The hungry are filled with good things. But this love is powerful; it scatters the proud, brings down rulers and sends the rich away empty. David Tiede says that this mercy of God "challenges realities that appear unchangeable."

            The child who is born in Bethlehem is Jesus the Savior who in his life calls people to follow him, who then dies for the forgiveness of their sins, who in his resurrection changes hearts and thinking and behaviors, who leads those who believe into true repentance, who changes settled habits of sin by the power of the Holy Spirit, who judges the world, and who brings a new creation. Rulers who are proud and oppressive lose their thrones. Those who respond in faith lose their guilt and sin. The mercy of God is powerful.

            The song that Mary sings is certainly shaped by Old Testament texts and prophecies. It has similarities to the Song of Hannah at the birth of Samuel. Its themes can be found in many places in Isaiah. In chapter 9, Isaiah writes of a child to be born and "the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." When Jesus speaks of his ministry, he quotes Isaiah 61:

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God."

            These scriptures seem to shape the song that Mary sings. The church, in the lectionary, also pairs the Song of Mary with Micah 5. The prophecy about Bethlehem thus is tied to Mary. The prophecy in Micah chapters 4 and 5 speaks of a difficult time for the people of Jerusalem. Micah does not give false hope. The exile will come. But there is more to say. There will be a ruler "who will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord."

            In 701 BC the Assyrian army surrounded Jerusalem, and began a siege. Hezekiah was the king of Judah. He was weak, and unable to defend his people. Many of the towns in Judah had already been overrun by Assyria. Micah says that a time of exile is coming, but not to Assyria, for they will soon be defeated by Babylon. But the exile will come, the land will be lost. But then, in the future, a ruler will come from Bethlehem, the City of David, and he will shepherd them, protecting them and providing for their needs. Gary Smith writes, "This ruler will get his strength from God and rule by the sovereign authority of God's name."

            It is this prophecy in Micah that draws the Wise Men to Bethlehem when they see the star that proclaims the birth of the king. Micah speaks to his people in a time of great difficulty and fear. He calls them to trust God, and to look beyond the present struggle to the plan of God for their salvation. His words call us to trust God as well.

            My experience handing out food last week has stayed with me. This Christmas, I wonder if we can see ourselves standing in that line, waiting for our food, waiting for our help to come from God. As we wait, we know we are worried about our lives, and aware of our needs. So we wait and wonder.

            Is God the Savior also God my savior?

            Is there mercy from the Lord?

            Is there love to challenge the things that seem unchangeable in my life and in our world?

            At Christmas we receive the Good News. We listen to the song of Mary. We hear once again the story of the birth of the Savior. We receive in our hearts the mercy of God, the forgiveness of sin. We receive the gift of the Savior of the World, the crucified and risen Lord of heaven and earth. We receive the promise of the Kingdom of God, the creation made new, and life everlasting.

            "Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king."

            "O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord."

            Will you join Mary in her song?

            Will you open your heart to the Savior?

            Is this Christmas the time when you say "yes" to Christ?

            Do you want to renew and deepen your commitment to the Lord?

            Open your heart to the Savior today!

            Amen.