And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” – Luke 1:46-47

One evening when I was visiting someone in the hospital, I came into contact with an elderly lady who proceeded to share her wondrous joy at the safe delivery of her new great-grandson. It was a difficult birth with the cord wrapped around his neck. The first few hours of his life were full of struggles, but he has brought immense joy and gratitude to all around him.

I think that was what Mary could see in Luke 1:46-47, that with God as her savior, her human spirit—her very essence—could glorify the Lord. As Christmas draws near with only a few days left to go, we can look back on 2019 with all the heartache, worry, sorrow, ups/downs, lefts/rights, zigs and zags, and we can put it all into the hands of God our savior and allow him to give us a new beginning with the birth of his son, Jesus Christ. Let Jesus come and absolve all that hurts and accept the hope we have that for each trial as there is a peace that we can only know by trusting in God. So, let our souls extol with praises and acknowledge all the greatness God has done and all that is yet to come in our lives.

Christmas is a week away… are you excited?? He is coming!

O God from the depths of our inner person do we give you glory for all you have done. Give my soul peace in the throes of a trial to know that I can magnify and rejoice in your greatness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
-Natalee Raymond