He is Faithful
Posted by Karah
Pause
Thank God for His trustworthiness. Focus your heart on Him. Praise Him for this and other aspects of His character.
Read Luke 1:39-45 in your Bible. Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and Mary were related. Soon after Gabriel had informed Mary that she would be the Messiah’s mother, Mary went to visit Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John.
Reread Elizabeth’s response when Mary arrived. How did she respond to Mary and the good news of the child Mary was carrying?
Note the number of times Elizabeth used the word blessed. Elizabeth was affirming the great thing God was doing through Mary. Mary’s blessedness depended entirely upon the identity and greatness of her child, Jesus. Elizabeth was pointing praise to God, the One who was acting in time and space to make salvation possible. Read Mary’s response in Luke 1:46-56.
“And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, because He has looked with favor on the humble condition of His slave. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy.”
—Luke 1:46-49
Ask yourself:
What aspects of God’s character did Mary praise in these verses? Explain.
Look at verses 54-55. Mary declared that God had been faithful to keep His promise of the Savior, the promise He had given to Abraham. How have you seen God’s faithfulness in your life? Be specific.
How does knowing that God is faithful help you to trust Him more?
Respond
Think about how God has been faithful to you in Jesus. How does God’s faithfulness inspire your praise? Using Luke 1:46-56 as a model, record your own prayer or song of praise to God in your journal.
Mary pointed to a time when “all generations” would give praise to God because of the blessing He had given to them in Jesus. Think about your generation—your peers, classmates, and teens around the world. How will you share the blessing God has given us in Jesus with your generation? Pray about this and record any action steps the Holy Spirit reveals.
For further study, find the connection between trust and praise in Psalm 28:7; 40:3; and 56:4.
Behind the Story
Luke 1:46-56 is often called the Magnificat, a Latin phrase derived from Mary’s opening words. It is similar in tone and style to Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Like Hannah, Mary praised God for what He was about to do and thanked Him for the part she was privileged to play.
The Point
Knowing God is faithful, we must praise Him.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions