The Magnificat, Pt 4: Pondering It in Our Hearts
Basic Bible interpretation teaches this pattern: observation, interpretation, application. What good is it if we know the facts without applying it to our lives? Now that we have looked at in-depth Mary’s Magnificat, what can we in 21st century America learn and apply from Mary?
Mary knew God’s Word! She would not have had a single copy much less many copies in her home like we do. She would have heard it from attending the synagogue and from her parents. But she didn’t just hear it. She meditated on it and hid it in her heart by memorizing it. As the narrative goes on, Luke describes how she treasured things and pondered them in her heart (2:19, 51). So like Bunyan, when she had cause to rejoice, that is what came out of her heart. We can read and hear and study the Word of God every waking moment of every day. But do we mediate on and hide God’s Word in our heart so it flows naturally out of us when we pray? Or face a difficult trial? Or have cause to rejoice?
Mary knew her Bible at a young age. We have read quotes from all over the OT. She knew theology. She knew stories. She knew verses. She knew all of redemptive history, past, present, and future. Therefore, we should not underestimate what children are able to understand and remember. There is no reason not to start them young or to potentially simplify theological truths so much that they become confusing and incorrect. Nor we should not think of ourselves individually as too young in age or faith to begin to do the same.
Her parents fulfilled the commission of Deuteronomy 6:6-7 – “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Parents, how are you doing with teaching your children the Word of God? For the rest of us, how are we doing helping to support the parents in that?
Mary is the perfect example of what it looks like to worship in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24). Her soul magnified the Lord, overflowing with the truths of His Word. She is an example of a worshiper, not one to be worshipped. Is our worship one of spirit and truth? Do we approach God with a proper heart attitude? Do we come to church ready to worship? Do we focus more on emotions and experiences than the written Word of God to inform our worship?
Ultimately, the Magnificat proves that Mary was the perfect woman to bear the Messiah. She loved her Lord, she knew His Word, and she recognized the immense privilege it was to bring the Promised One into this world, no matter the consequences. Mary was just like the rest of us – a humble servant, a sinful human being, a nobody that God exalted for His purposes. Yet she eagerly agreed in faith and let herself be used by the Lord.
In a sermon he gave on this passage, Spurgeon asked his congregation this question, “Shall she sing alone?”[1] Mary poured forth this praise in anticipation of the coming Messiah, merely at His conception. We live on the other side of the cross. How much more should we worship in spirit and truth as we reflect on the Gift given 2,000 years ago so that we could sit here today rejoicing in the Savior who came and paid the penalty for all our sins?
I’ll give this quote from him as a final exhortation:
Oh, that you and I might get into the very heart of the Word of God, and get that Word into ourselves! I have seen the silkworm eat into the leaf, and consume it, so ought we to do with the Word of the Lord—not crawl over its surface, but eat right into it till we have taken it into our inmost parts.[2]
May this be our desire and our prayer this Christmas season and as we go into a new year.
[1] Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. “Mary’s Song.” Metropolitan Tabernacle. Delivered December 25, 1864. https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/marys-song/#flipbook/
[2] Ibid
