Listen

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. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Luke 1:46-55

Think

With the coming of the Christ child there unfolded a great reversal, beginning with the unlikely woman who was his mother. A young, unmarried teenager, Mary found herself pregnant and responsible for birthing the savior of the world. It’s no wonder, then, that the song she sang at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel is all about reversals.

With the coming of this child, she sang that the powerful would lose their power and those who had nothing would be filled with good and wonderful things. All the inequities of life as she knew it would be turned on their heads and changed by the coming of Messiah.

It took a lot of courage to hold out for the great reversal. We should start now: looking for ways that Jesus changes everything.

Amy Butler

Pray

O God, you are coming to turn all of our expectations on their heads. Help me to be part of your great reversal. Amen.

Go

Live into the love God is bringing.
Love in ways that test the vast expanse of God's gift,
Limit yourself only to sharing God's gift with profusion.
Love is here.
Love is here.