SolLuna, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

12/22/21

“Blessed Fruit”

“… Blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” – Luke 1:42

Mary’s body was bringing forth precious fruit.

Her very life had become a vine from which God was about to produce something amazing.

The fruit of her womb was the result of her willingness to become the handmaid of the Lord. She was placing her life on the line. She was making her very body and soul available to God.

Remarkable fruit can come from such yielding to the will of God.

Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth understood what was happening in, to, and through Mary.

“And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” – Luke 1:41-42

She knew that Mary herself was special because she had been chosen by God to bear this precious fruit of His love for humankind.

“And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? – Luke 1:43”

Why did Elizabeth so honor her younger cousin Mary? Why was she so impressed and humbled by this visit from a young lady?

They had a common bond. They were both miraculously pregnant, Elizabeth in her old age and Mary without having known a man.

They were both instruments of God for greater things.

Beyond that, Elizabeth understood Mary’s sacrifice and submission to God’s will. She understood what it cost and had a notion of what it would mean for the world. There is no greater honor or privilege than to put your life and body totally at the disposal of God.

The fruit that is growing in your life will be in proportion to your submission to the One who made you and has called you to a higher purpose than your own ambitions.
Submit to Him today and watch the blessed fruit grow.

The Visit

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.” – Luke 1:68-79 

One of the welcoming symbols of the Advent and Christmas season is a decorated tree. It is often visible from the street because it is carefully placed beside a window and, sometimes, outside the house. It is a reminder that an entire culture stops what it is doing to welcome Jesus and, in welcoming Him, to welcome each other into a circle of celebration and love.

We see trees in hotel lobbies, hospitals, parks, and even churches. Trees point upward. One might say that they are raised up like a horn of salvation declaring God’s redeeming power and love.

Christmas trees have roots in cultures that predate Christianity, but so do many other symbols of faith that have been incorporated into the message of the gospel. That is the nature of the message itself. Jesus’ coming is about redemption. He redeems people. He redeems symbols. He redeems entire communities. He redeems everything possible for His own purposes.

It is for redemption that He has visited us and it is because of that, we bless and welcome Him.

The Magnifying Soul

Luke 1:46-47 – “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”

Mary does a lot of singing after she hears from the angel. Her womb is filled with divinity and her heart is filled with praise.

The scripture says that, “Mary said,” but it is hard to her imagine that she did not say it in melody.

She said that her soul magnified the Lord. Soul is life, the totality of life, all of it. It is one’s body and mind in complete integration with one’s energy, personality, motivation, and action. Mary gave everything she had and everything she was to magnifying the Lord.

Not only did her soul magnify God, but her spirit rejoiced in Him. Joy is the very heart and soul of the Christmas mood.

“Merry Christmas!”

“Joy to the world! The Lord is come!”

“God rest ye, merry gentlemen!!

Mary got it and she carried that spirit to Bethlehem and beyond as she kept her memories and pondered them in her heart.

Why the songs of Christmas in the heart of Mary? Why the magnification of the Lord? Why the rejoicing?

The Cradle and the Gift

"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." – Luke 1:46b-47

My soul magnifies the Lord. Suddenly, in the darkest hour of the night, a candle was lit. Darkness retreated. Light appeared. At least one soul paid attention and magnified the Lord.

She was joined by another, her cousin, Elizabeth, and they sang together.
One spirit rejoiced in the God of salvation. One low estate was replaced by a high estate. One future legacy was secured. The whole earth was blessed with an unspeakable gift.

“Mary, did you know?” is the theme of a folk hymn and a very good question. What did Mary know?

Here is what she knew enough to sing.

God is the savior and so she named her son just that, Jesus, Yahweh Saves!

• She knew that, “from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48b)
• She knew that “he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49)
• She knew about God’s mercy that is “on them that fear him from generation to generation.” (Luke 50)
• She knew the strength of God and how God confounds the proud. “He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” (Luke 1:51)
• She knew that God turns the tides on might and power. “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.” (Luke 1:52)
• She knew that this God who was doing this remarkable thing in her was the kind helper of her people. “He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy …” (Luke 1:53-54)
• What Mary knew is a point of interesting discussion and meditation. What we know matters more. We know, through her experience, all that she knew and the rest of the story.

What is known is all just interesting religious trivia unless we choose to act on faith upon what we know. Let us, then, act in faith and allow our souls to magnify the Lord.