Day 4: 31 Days of Prayer

Day 4: 31 Days of Prayer

Verse:

Then Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my heart rejoices because of God, my Savior, for He has looked upon the lowliness of His servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed... (Luke 1:46-48 - TB)

Reflection:

I love the first chapter of Luke, because we learn so much about the character of Mary, the mother of Jesus. When the angel Gabriel first appeared to Mary to tell her about God's plan for her, he declared that “for nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:47). We know that Mary wholeheartedly believed Gabriel's declaration because in this chapter, Elizabeth blessed Mary by saying, “and blessed is she who has believed, for what the Lord has spoken to her will be fulfilled” (Luke 1:45). Although Mary was still young, she responded in faith, fully trusting the Word of God, even though what was happening to her was far beyond human reason. Not only that, but she did not allow herself to be overwhelmed by doubt and fear of the challenges ahead (being seen as someone pregnant outside of marriage, the responsibility of raising Jesus, etc.). Instead, Mary was filled with gratitude and wonder. This is clear in Mary's song of praise to the Lord written in Luke 1:46-55. Through this prayer, we see Mary choosing to dwell on the goodness of the Lord. She decided to trust His promises wholeheartedly, which filled her with gratitude for God's plan of salvation and for her opportunity to play a part in saving humankind.

Challenge:

Even though none of us will physically give birth to Jesus, we are given the opportunity every day to play a part in saving humankind and spreading the message of Christ to the world. We can find joy in this when we choose to reflect, fully trust, and give thanks to God for His promises and for the role He has chosen for us. Today, read Mary's song and see how she chose to praise the Lord. And to praise Him for the opportunity He gave her. Pray your own song to the Lord, focusing on some of your favorite promises for you. For me, Scriptures like 2 Corinthians 5:21 which says, “so that in Him we might be made righteous before God” and 1 Corinthians 15: 50-57 which describes our resurrection are part of my song to God. Praying through these promises deepens my confidence in them, enables me to praise the Lord, and fills me with gratitude for who I am in Christ. Do the same today and be filled with the same peace and joy that Mary experienced despite whatever doubts, fears, or challenges you may face.

Translated from the article “31 Days of Prayer: Day 4” by Courtney Fink