Jesus' Family Album December 12 Devotional

LUKE 1:51-53 | ⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. ⁵² He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; ⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

The principle Mary enunciates, that God does great things through the humble and the lowly, is first of all the core of her personal sense of self and calling. It allows her to face the immense challenge of raising the Messiah. But this principle also has a general and revolutionary application.

God works in the lives of those who welcome His work, those who Jesus would later teach “know their need of God,” and have the meek strength to trust Him. The proud, the powerful, and the wealthy, when they don’t see their need and live in interdependence from God, will suffer confusion, reduction, and emptiness. The inspired Mary is quite a theologian!

Human power is impermanent, deceptive, and futile unless aligned with the divine purpose. Do you agree?

Gracious God,

Help us to be as wise as Mary about what is truly real and finally powerful. We ask in Jesus’ name.

Amen.