Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And 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 mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Luke 1:46-55 (ESV)

Mary's Song or the Magnificat has a prophetic quality as she praised what God is accomplishing, not only in her generation but in the larger context of God's work in history, from the unconditional promise He made to Abraham to its fulfilment through His Son Jesus.

We can learn three things from this divinely inspired song.

First, we should always praise and worship God not only for what He has done but also for who He is. Despite the obvious humiliation that her unwed pregnancy would bring, Mary refused to allow anything to take away her joy in magnifying God as her Saviour. So, even though we face difficult circumstances here, there is no reason not to worship because we have eternity to be comforted.

Secondly, we should rejoice when we are blessed by God. Mary recognised that she had been blessed by God and that the wonderful things she had experienced were the result of God's grace. We have done nothing to deserve what God has done for us in Christ. Because everything we have is a gift from God, our worship is a response to His unfailing love and greatness.

Thirdly, we should be humble and not elevate ourselves above others. Mary was willing to surrender her life to God's plan no matter what it would cost her. Yet she declared the victory of God over all those who pose themselves as pompous and powerful. Humility leads us to worship, and our worship leads us to justice.

Mary’s song is about rejoicing and finding refuge in God.

It is an excellent reminder that we need to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

So, how will our conversations be as we prepare for Christmas? Do we complain about the season's busyness and over-commercialization when we gather as a family and spend time with friends? Alternatively, we should rejoice in what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ and point others to who God is and His plan for the world.