April 30, 2025 - Luke 1:46,47 - "Rejoicing in God Our Savior"

Luke 1:46,47

"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."

In these inspired words, the young virgin Mary pours out a song of worship flowing from the depths of her soul to that Seed, conceived by the Spirit of God in her womb, Who would lay down His life as her Redeemer. This passage, often called The Magnificat, is more than poetic praise—it is the Gospel confession, produced in her by the Spirit of God. Mary, a chosen vessel of grace, magnifies the LORD not for what she had done, but for what God had done for her and would do for her through the righteous obedience unto death of God's Son, Whom she would bear into this fallen world.

Note her language: “My soul... my spirit... my Saviour.” This is not a cold, borrowed confession of faith. It is the heart of one who has been taught the grace of God, personally and experientially. Mary is not venerating herself or attributing merit to her womb; she exalts the God of her Salvation. This is a striking confession. Though she was chosen to bear the Christ, she declares her need of God as her Saviour. She knew herself to be a sinner, and she rejoiced that salvation is of the LORD Mary’s praise is not rooted in a so-called "free-will" decision, but in God's sovereign will. She did not say, “My soul hath chosen the Lord,” but “My soul doth magnify the LORD.” It was the LORD Who looked upon her in grace. As verse 48 says, “He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.” God did not choose Mary because of her worthiness or any supposed sinlessness. He chose her in her lowliness, to show forth the riches of His grace (Ephesians 2:7).

This is the God of sovereign grace, as He reveals Himself throughout Scripture. God has chosen the weak, the base, the undeserving, that His glory might shine (1 Corinthians 1: 26–29). When the Lord comes to a sinner in saving grace—when He makes Christ known to their soul—they respond as Mary did: “My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” This is not a mere doctrinal confession, as might be found in a catechism, but a confession in God Himself—and particularly in God as Saviour.

This is the great Gospel of the God of the Bible: that the LORD of glory has become the Saviour of elected sinners, that God has provided His Lamb (Genesis 22:8), and that salvation is entirely His work, received by Spirit-given faith, and never earned by the sinner. Mary’s joy was not momentary—it was rooted in God’s eternal purpose. The Child in her womb was the Fulfillment of every promise God had made, from Genesis to Malachi. Her soul rejoiced because the Christ had come. And so must ours. Our joy is not in what we feel, or what we do, or what we hope to become, but in Who Christ is and what He has accomplished through His obedience unto death (Philippians 2:8). We do not magnify ourselves. We do not even magnify our faith or our obedience. We magnify the LORD, for He alone is the Author and Finisher of our salvation. Like Mary, we lift our voices in humble adoration, knowing that we were nothing, and He has done great things for us.

Let us then ask ourselves: Does our soul magnify the LORD? Do I rejoice in God as my Saviour? Not merely as a distant God, or a theoretical Saviour, but as my God, my Saviour—the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me? This is the joy of every true believer: not in self, but in Christ; not in merit, but in mercy. “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name” (Luke 1:49). May our prayer ever be that of praise and glory to the LORD for His great Salvation. Like Mary, may we rejoice in the LORD, our Saviour, and thank Him for His sovereign grace that chose us, sought us, saved us, and keeps us.

May our souls ever magnify and exalt Him, and may our spirits continually rejoice in Him, for He hath done great things for us, for Jesus Christ's sake.