City Life Starter

Written by Calah Jackson

The Word

⁴⁶ And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.

Luke 1:46-49 (ESV)

Reflection

When my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child we were stopped in our tracks with all kinds of emotions breaking through to the surface of our hearts. Not all of them were warm and fuzzy. The most significant moment in my parenting journey happened after the delivery of our son. There were complications (that I will spare you the details of) that landed my baby boy in the NICU. My celebration very quickly grinded to a halt as we waited with bated breath to understand what had happened and if he would be okay.

I think about a pregnant, young Mary on the journey to the solace of community at Elizabeth’s home. The words of God swirling around in her mind along with the pangs of the inevitable doubt those around her would fling her way, including some of her own kin.

Upon her arrival, following an encounter with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth begins speaking blessings over Mary. I visualize it like taking the truthful thoughts that were swirling in her mind and anchoring them deep in the recesses of her heart.

Then Mary responds breaking into a song full of Old Testament truths that gives us a glimpse into the state of her heart and mind including the prayer of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Hannah prays a magnification by recalling the pain and beauty of her own motherhood journey. She didn’t have her heart set on circumstantial changes but on the eternal hope of glory. Mary’s callback to Hannah’s prayer is striking because it’s about bringing her mind, soul, and strength into alignment with the truth of God. It wasn’t about bypassing her hurt to feel better.

Application

About a week into our NICU stay I remember my husband sitting me in a wheelchair and taking me outside of the hospital into the garden. The sun warmed up my face as I pleaded with God for my son. I asked God to heal him but did it from such a terrified and doubting place. My husband stood me up and walked and danced with me a little through the flowers as I cried. I remember God asking me if I would trust him regardless of what the outcome was and regardless of what it cost me. Would I love Him whether I took my baby home or not? I remember how sobering and still it all felt to surrender again.

And I remember the worship that poured out months later as I sat in church with my baby tied to my chest. Intertwined in that outpouring was the grief of wishing I was steadfast from the beginning. The song of my heart became, “Lord help me to trust you even when it makes sense to others to doubt.“

Mary’s response isn’t simply a welling up of emotions, but a deep and sober anchoring in the truth that caused her to believe from the beginning. Mary’s song was powerful and prophetic poetry that I’m sure she would have to return to and believe again and again. From the birth of her son, to mothering Him during His upbringing, and to watching Him be tortured on a tree, her response remains.

What will our response be? Will we set the posture of our heart in the truth of God? Will worship pour out of us before we see the fruition of what God is doing? Will our circumstances dictate our faith in God or will certainty of His faithfulness lead us? Today you get to remember and respond again.

Prayer

God, my soul magnifies You. My spirit rejoices in my God, and my Savior. There is truly none like You. Call to my mind the truth of who You are and don’t let my belief be based in favorable circumstances, but in the fact that You are faithful and good. Help me be steadfast even if things look bleak. Let my heart exalt and magnify You without ceasing. You alone, God, are holy and worthy. Amen.