Giving Praise
Luke 1:46-55 (NLT)
46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
When I think of Mary’s young age and her response to the message Gabriel brought her, I am in awe.
After the shock wore off, a million questions would have been running through my mind. What would have been my response? How can this be? What are my parents going to say? How is Joseph going to react? Will I be stoned, die, or cast out? These are just of few of the questions that would be running through my mind.
I am sure Mary had questions too, but we are not privy to them. Instead, we learn of Mary’s response: she sang praises to God and exulted him.
During this season of Advent let us take time to sing praises to God for all that he does for us on every day, every hour, and every minute of every day.
I so often find myself taking for granted the little things that God provides every day: the sound of rain falling, birds singing, the beauty that surrounds my home, and that God gives me another day to enjoy it all.
This summer I was diagnosed with a tear in my retina that was impacting my central vision in one eye. Praise God that it was successfully treated and healing nicely. Another reminder that God is taking care of my life.
Praise God just not only for the life-altering things in your life but for all the daily events that we take for granted.
Our job is to sing God’s praises for all that he does, so that each new generation knows that He is always there and waiting to bless us.
Prayer: Precious Father, help me to be like Mary and sing my praises to you for your blessings in my ever-evolving life. Thank you for each valley and mountain event that shapes my life. Help me to always praise you. Amen.
After the shock wore off, a million questions would have been running through my mind. What would have been my response? How can this be? What are my parents going to say? How is Joseph going to react? Will I be stoned, die, or cast out? These are just of few of the questions that would be running through my mind.
I am sure Mary had questions too, but we are not privy to them. Instead, we learn of Mary’s response: she sang praises to God and exulted him.
During this season of Advent let us take time to sing praises to God for all that he does for us on every day, every hour, and every minute of every day.
I so often find myself taking for granted the little things that God provides every day: the sound of rain falling, birds singing, the beauty that surrounds my home, and that God gives me another day to enjoy it all.
This summer I was diagnosed with a tear in my retina that was impacting my central vision in one eye. Praise God that it was successfully treated and healing nicely. Another reminder that God is taking care of my life.
Praise God just not only for the life-altering things in your life but for all the daily events that we take for granted.
Our job is to sing God’s praises for all that he does, so that each new generation knows that He is always there and waiting to bless us.
Prayer: Precious Father, help me to be like Mary and sing my praises to you for your blessings in my ever-evolving life. Thank you for each valley and mountain event that shapes my life. Help me to always praise you. Amen.
Patricia Dixon, Wesley Chapel, Lenox, WV pedixon@atlanticbb.net, Lay Servant, Sun School Teacher
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