The Lyric of Our Lives
It has been a messy yet magnificent journey this summer. It has been a privilege to walk together as we have sought to slip our feet into the dusty sandals of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. We have studied how each of these not so fabulous five has encountered a crossroad of surrender along their journeys. We have been able to observe how each reacted to this opportunity to yield. Each woman responded differently, and yet each response was integral in God’s redemptive story. This week we walk the path with young Mary. It is at her surrender juncture that we see the posture of her life and heart on display. Mary shows us that the posture for surrender and worship is the same: open-handed. As I survey the daily opportunities to surrender in my own life, I admit my default is often to sigh rather than to sing.
In his commentary on Luke, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, unpacks all too familiar alternatives to surrender. He says, “Unbelief would have said, ‘Wait.’ Fear would have said, ‘Be silent.' But faith could not wait or be silent! She must sing, and sing she did most sweetly.” Mary’s sweet song was relational and biblical. In her “how can it be” moment, she sang of her God and His story. Her song was also passionate and full of faith. The lyric of her life was to magnify God and not herself or her circumstances. So, friend, as you stand at your crossroad of surrender, what song are you singing? Are the lyrics of your life about you, or are they Christ-centered?
Magnification can be expressed in many ways. A microscope magnifies something that is small and makes it appear bigger than it really is. Mary’s Magnificat does the opposite. She sings about the enormity of her God's power and might Who has done and will accomplish impossible things. The lyric of our life is more like a telescope. A telescope magnifies things that are far away and brings them near. When we sing the melody that exalts our Master, we bring Him near for all who hear. So sing, sister, of His wondrous works to a world that is leaning to listen.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt His name together!
