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44: Christmas Reflection Day 5 - Song
194 Plays3 years ago
How many times have you let Christmas come and go without reflecting on what actually happened that first Christmas long ago? It’s a story of wonder AND it's a story that causes us to wonder. Each day of the week before Christmas, these 5 minute daily reflections from Laura Fleetwood will transport you to the time of Jesus’ birth and help you reflect on the miracle that happened in your midst.
How does Mary respond to the miracle happening inside her and how do YOU respond to the gifts you’ve received? Scripture: Luke 1: 46-56
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Transcript
Perception of Christianity
00:00:00
Speaker
The following podcast is a Jill Devine Media production. Christianity has become known for judgy people, strange words, ancient stories, confusing rules, and a members-only mindset. This is why I stayed away from the church for so long, but it's not supposed to be that way.
Jill Devine's Faith Journey
00:00:17
Speaker
I'm Jill Devine, a former radio personality with three tattoos, a love for a good tequila, and who's never read the entire Bible.
00:00:24
Speaker
Yet here I am hosting a podcast about faith. The Normal Goes Along Way podcast is your home for real conversations with real people using real language about how faith and real life intersect. Welcome to the conversation.
The Joyful Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth
00:00:42
Speaker
I'm still smiling in delight, imagining Mary and Elizabeth seeing each other, knowing that they're both expecting boys and sharing their fears about what's going on. And Luke tells us that this is how Mary responds when she gets to Elizabeth's house and after Elizabeth welcomes her and shares those words of joy about what God has done. You may know this as the magnifica or Mary's song.
The Magnificat: Mary's Song
00:01:11
Speaker
Luke says that Mary said, My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty one has done great things for me, holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation.
00:01:33
Speaker
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm. He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Mary's Gratitude and Faith
00:02:02
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What did you hear in Mary's song? How wonderful is it that after this trip, which could have been long, to visit Elizabeth, she is greeted by her cousin and she responds to what God has done in her and through her with this extraordinary song of gratitude
00:02:32
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and praise. She's not saying, woe is me. What's going on? How am I going to handle this? How am I going to explain this to people? Now, she may have done that. She was a human being after all. But when she meets Elizabeth, she reminds both of them how God is faithful.
00:02:54
Speaker
She reminds both of them that he is ushering in a kingdom that is going to bring change affecting every area of life, body, mind, and spirit. She reminds them that he has remembered their ancestors from Abraham to his descendants and to now, and that he is faithfully keeping this promise of sending a savior to rescue them.
00:03:23
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I love looking at Mary's song because she was a woman just like me.
Acknowledging God's Role in Our Lives
00:03:32
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She had dreams. She had fears. She had plans for her life that did not include this great interruption. And yet somehow she's able in this moment anyway, to set all of that aside and to give all credit to God.
00:03:54
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for this specific moment in her life. And as human beings, let's be honest, that is really hard to do, to give credit to someone other than ourselves. But that's what being a follower of Christ is all about. It's about humbling ourselves. Did you notice how many times Mary uses the word humble? I am a humble servant.
00:04:23
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about recognizing our place in the grand scheme of things. God is in control. God has this plan and we are part of that. But he has ultimate, ultimate control.
00:04:40
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over our plans and over our lives. And that is a good thing.
Trusting in God's Plan
00:04:46
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So often we want to take control, but in our human minds and in our human spirits and in our human bodies, we only see the tiniest fraction, like a little sliver of the picture. And God sees the whole thing.
00:05:03
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So in this moment, in Mary's Magnifica, her song, she's reminding us where to place our trust in God as she did.
00:05:15
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She's reminding us that God is faithful, that He fulfilled His promise to His people, that in this moment, she is declaring He is making things happen that He said would happen all along. And then she spends three months with Elizabeth until they think Elizabeth gave birth to her son, John.
Reflection and Gratitude
00:05:40
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What areas of your life do you need to open your hands to and give control to God? What areas in your life could you be more grateful for in how God has worked and how God is weaving together all of the issues and the opportunities that you face for your good? As you wonder and you wonder today about Mary's song,
00:06:10
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Hold those things in your heart and ask God to give you some answers to those questions and wait and see how that changes your day and changes your perspective. Be still.