Advent 2018: Mary's Song

It’s Advent again, and we wait and watch and prepare. But how do we prepare? David Lose says we have a “penchant to look for God in all the wrong places (power and strength), and … God keeps showing up where we least expect God to be.” (from “Making Sense of Martin Luther” Leader Guide, 2017) Advent is a good season to try to turn our thinking around, to look for God in the right places.

For this week at least, and maybe for the whole season, Mary’s song is a good place to start or come back to. Mary understood the promise of mercy and understood that the proud and mighty would ultimately be less than the hungry and humble.

From Luke, chapter 1:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
    for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

(New International Version)