Stress Test Devotional April 28
April 28, 2024
LUKE 1:46-50 | And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”
Mary’s Magnificat, or song which magnifies the Lord, has a series of clues about how to maintain and multiply our hope. Mary magnifies or praises her Lord, she rejoices in her Savior, and she exercises the spiritual virtues of humility (lowliness in verse 48) and holy respect (fear of the Lord in verse 50). These first verses are a model of private worship. Mary feels and expresses awe for the holy and mighty one and she offers God praises and thanks.
Worship and prayer are the best ways to restore hope. They remind us of God’s power, both intellectually and emotionally. Hope that is merely emotional is naïve and unsustainable. Hope that is intellectual without engaging the heart is sterile. Worship calls to mind God’s power, and it helps us to sense his love and care. Praise releases our anxieties and tensions, since the God we name and experience in worship is the ruler of time and history, including our own time and history.
How are hope and worship connected for you?
Which part of weekend public worship is hardest for you to experience in your times of private devotion?
Spend some time magnifying God.
