REJOICE
verb: to exult, be glad; to jump for joy
Mary responded, “Oh how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed…” Luke 1: 46-48 NLT
I’ve been thinking about Mary lately. Like many who believe that she is the mother of Jesus, I do describe her as “blessed”–a young woman chosen by God to carry and deliver his son. What an extraordinary part to play in God’s story she was given.
The role of Mary was the one all the girls in Sunday School wanted–the lead in our church’s Christmas program. I felt pretty proud and important the year that it was my turn to play her. It was pretty easy, actually. All I had to do was sit quietly in the blue-draped costume holding a doll wrapped in a blanket. Most Nativity scenes portray this, too–a serene looking Mary gazing peacefully at her sleeping baby.
How happy and calm she looked.
But was she?
It is possible that she was feeling neither happy nor calm, yet she knew she was blessed.
It is possible that her newborn baby was crying a lot– having trouble feeding or staying warm at first, yet she knew she was blessed.
It is possible that she was exhausted and sore, yet she knew she was blessed.
It is possible that she was being mistreated and rejected by people she loved because of her suspicious pregnancy, yet she knew she was blessed.
It is possible that she was terribly worried about what was ahead for her little family, yet she knew she was blessed.
Is it possible?
Is it possible to feel joy and gratitude even in uncomfortable or unhappy circumstances? Even when we are losing sleep, waiting for test results, battling depression, or missing someone terribly?
Can our souls rejoice in God our Savior even when our bodies and minds don’t feel like it?
Mary’s did. She knew that she was blessed. Not because her life was working out perfectly, but because God had taken notice of her.
He saw her.
He knew her.
He chose her.
Emmanuel, God with us, chose to begin his life on earth as a human baby inside of her body.
And her spirit rejoiced. She thanked him for it all. In her gratitude, she wrote a poem of praise to God for everything he had done for his people and especially for her. (See last week’s post about JOY, or read Luke 1: 46-55).
The same God who took notice of Mary takes notice of us too. He sees us, he knows us, and he chooses us. He cares deeply for each one of us, and he pours his spirit into our hearts as we play our unique part in his kingdom work.
“Don’t be afraid!” (the angel) said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior–yes, the Messiah, the Lord–has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David…” Luke 2:10-11 NLT
This makes my soul want to jump for joy too!
INVITE HIM IN
Can you look past the circumstances of your life right now and call yourself blessed? Can you rest in the assurance that he sees you and knows exactly what is weighing down your heart? Thank him and praise him for the role he has chosen for you, and let your spirit exult in the hope of Emmanuel, God with you.