Together in Christ: 'Tremendous Things!' — Luke 1:46-51

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

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Mary responded,
"Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the haughty ones."
— Luke 1:46-51 NLT

Key Thought

The birth stories in the first two chapters in the Gospels of Matthew [1] and Luke [2] share some of the "tremendous things" that God's "mighty arm" [3] has done in bringing Jesus to us on earth. While John [4] tells us the meaning of Jesus' coming as the ultimate Message or Word of God, [5] Matthew and Luke share some of the personal, intimate, mysterious, miraculous, and amazing details of Jesus' conception, birth, and deliverance from the attacks of Satan against Him through human and political powers like Herod. [6]

In truth, we don't know the exact day or date of Jesus' birth. We do know, however, the gritty, true-to-life, and true-to-political-reality nature of His birth stories in the gospels. Our response to God's gift in Jesus can take all sorts of paths, but at least two responses are necessary for genuine followers of Jesus; both responses were realized in Mary's reactions to carrying the Christ-child in her womb:

  1. "I am the Lord's servant." [7]
    When we fully realize how much God has loved us by sending Jesus and what God was willing to endure to demonstrate that love, we must respond by offering all we are to show our love to God in return for His gifts to us in Jesus! As the classic Isaac Watts hymn phrases it:
    Love so amazing, so divine,
    Demands my soul, my life, my all.
     
  2. "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!"
    As our verses for today shows us in Mary's response, we should respond to the sending of Jesus with joyous praise for all that God has done to bring us into a relationship with Him. [8]

In this season of giving and celebrating, let's celebrate the great Giver of our greatest gift and the coming of Jesus to us as this gift. This gift is the ultimate defining relationship that should help us align every other relationship.

[1] Matthew 1:18-25, 2:1-15.
[2] Luke 1:26-55, 2:1-20.
[3] Luke 1:51.
[4] John 1:1-18.
[5] John 1:1-18 presents Jesus as God's ultimate Word or Message in human flesh Who reveals God Himself. Hebrews 1:1-3 shares essentially the same truth in condensed form: "Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and he created the universe through the Son. The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven."
[6] The "Death of the Innocents" in Matthew 2:1-18 at the hand of Herod foreshadows the political and religious powers aligning against Jesus to stop Him and His influence. Not only does Jesus' resurrection show that these efforts failed, but so does your reading this. Another possible reference to the Satan-backed plan to destroy Jesus is in Revelation 12:1-6. God's "outstretched arm" ("powerful arm" in the NLT) delivered Jesus!
[7] Mary's words are taken from Luke 1:38.
[8] Paul's hymn of praise in Ephesians 1:3-14 is a suitable response to John 3:16-17 and Ephesians 2:1-10.

Today's Prayer

Praise You, O God, for all the gifts You have lavished on me in Christ Jesus — adoption as Your child, salvation from all Satan intended to destroy me, daily provision for my needs, friendships and relationships with other believers, answers to my prayers, intervention in my messes to bring us to better places in my life, and the guarantee of an eternal home with You. Yes, dear Father, I recognize my list is much shorter than Your many ways of blessing me in Jesus, but please accept this list as a heart that genuinely loves and appreciates You and longs to serve and honor You in my daily life. I praise You for Your glorious, abundant, and overflowing grace! In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Matthew 1:18-25, 2:1-15
  • Luke 1:26-55, 2:1-20

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 1:46-51 NLT — Mary responded, "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the haughty ones."

About This Devotional

Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.

'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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