Episode Transcript
CONSECRATION
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Jesus, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
SCRIPTURE
Luke 1:46–55 NIV
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
CONSIDER THIS
As a Jewish woman, Mary’s life was steeped in rhythms of remembrance. From feasts and festivals to the recitation of Scripture, her identity was deeply rooted in the story of God’s faithfulness to His people. So when the angel appeared to her with the announcement that she would bear the Messiah, Mary responded in a way that reflected her grounding in that story.
The Magnificat, as this passage is often referred to, is a master lesson in thanksgiving and remembrance. What began as a small, personal moment of praise increased to a crescendo of worship that acknowledged the moment fully for what it was, glorifying God’s faithfulness from generation to generation.
It’s important to remember the bigger story we belong to. It’s also important to embrace the chapter God writes in our own lives. Remembering the big picture grounds us in a grander and greater narrative than we could ever imagine. God is redeeming His whole creation and fulfilling His promises to His people. But remembering the small picture—the ways God has worked in our own lives—reminds us the story is deeply personal.
Together, these perspectives fuel our worship, helping us to glorify God for His greatness and rejoice in His nearness to us.
RESPONSE PROMPTS
Take time to write your own praise of thanksgiving and remembrance, thanking God for what He has done for you and how it connects to His greater work of redemption. It can be in whatever form you want—a poem, a song, or a few paragraphs. No singing required. Don’t worry about it being good and don’t worry about length. The goal is to have fun and engage creatively in response to the goodness of God.
PRAYER
Mighty God, thank You that Your plan for redeeming the whole world also includes me. Help me to know the story I belong to more deeply, to be shaped by it more fully, and to grow in love for You so that I can participate in it more faithfully. Amen.
