| My soul doth magnify the Lord … |
| —from Luke 1:46 (KJV) |
Mary’s Song, the Magnificat, found in Luke 1:46-55, offers us something worthy to study during the Season of Advent. What beautiful language from a young girl in the midst of a startling and newly revealed sacred responsibility—namely, to give birth to the Messiah.
The first sentence captures my imagination. I love to read it from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, as stated at the beginning of this blog post. Other translations use the words: “glorify” or “exalt.” But for me, the word “magnify” has a richer contextual image. Even the Latin word “Magnificat” comes from the same root word.
We think of magnifying glasses for people who have lost the ability to see small print. They need to magnify the text, in order to understand it. We know that students often use magnifying glasses when they observe tiny animals or plants, so that they can better see the details. To magnify something makes it appear bigger, brings it closer, and allows us to comprehend things we might otherwise miss.
How did Mary magnify the Lord? She went on to praise Him and worship Him for doing wonderful things. In fact, this very special Song of Mary includes fifteen quotes from the Old Testament, in which other believers magnified the Lord before her. These quotations expound on the blessings God has given, the merits of His grace, and the wonder of His working. In doing so, those who proclaimed this magnification of God witnessed to others the greatness of God, and we can certainly agree with them.
Several other passages in Scripture speak of magnifying the Lord. Again, in the King James Version, Psalm 34:3 states these words:
“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
And, speaking of the miracles that God performed through the Apostle Paul, as recorded in Acts 19:17:
“Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”
As believers in the life-transforming power of the living Lord Jesus Christ, our lives either magnify Him or diminish Him. How can we magnify our Lord and bring others to the place where they will take a closer look at Him? When others watch our lives, do they see Him in a clearer way? When we gather together to exalt Him in worship, do we make Him more understandable, more attractive, and more able for others to long for His Presence in their lives?
I pray that today the Lord will show all of us how we can magnify His goodness, His power, His works, His holiness, His mercy, His grace, and His love. May those around us see Him through our lives and desire to take another look at Him.
