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As soon as Elizabeth blesses her name, Mary starts to sing.
As soon as Elizabeth acknowledges Mary’s faithfulness, a song of praise is lifted up. In this sweet passage, Mary begins to glorify the Lord and rejoices in the good news of her blessing to come. And all she can do in this moment is express her gratitude for the Mighty One who has done great things for her, for the goodness of his mercy, and for the one who has lifted up the humble servant in remembrance.
I imagine this song was only in the company of Mary and Elizabeth, but what honor comes from Mary’s voice. This truly is a joy-filled cry that celebrates God and his remembered promise “to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
Mary's song in this passage is so beautiful. It's a mindful melody of the past, present, and future. It's her heart's cry for the Father; the remembrance of his goodness, a miracle of the present, and his continued promise for future generations.
This was the hope she sang of: a nostalgic, familiar hope; a hope that gave lowly women like her the freedom to dream and the honor of being remembered by God.
And isn't this the very nature of God? His choice is always to remember those who have felt forgotten. The way he chooses Mary, the way he chooses Joseph, the way he chooses Israel.
I think about this passage in the context of my own life and the ways in which I have often felt unseen and overlooked by God, even when I know he's staring right at me. I’ve felt like an unnoticed servant, forgotten and left alone.
But this powerful passage reminds me of my tattoo on my left arm which reads,
"Just when my hallelujah was tired, you gave me a new song."
It's a song lyric from the second verse of a song called "Letting Go" by Steffany Gretzinger. And I’m a singer, so this tattoo and song lyric mean a lot to me.
My tattoo reminds me of Mary's song, because it captures another "Yes, I believe in your promise" moment for a woman who is contemplating her own worthiness in the eyes of God. Her song reflects the gratefulness of God’s mercy. And to be honest, that's my song with God, too.
This year has been a year of transitions for me; from having three jobs to now having one, advocating for my mental health and learning that yes, I can have Jesus and a professional counselor, and opening up my home for family to live with us.
In every transition, I think I just wanted to be known and seen by God. I still do. I wanted to remember his goodness for me in each moment where it was easy to give up in my faith, and where transitions can sometimes be scary. In moments of fear, failure, and joy, I wept out to the Father a song of praise because I felt His presence through every transition. And just like Mary's song, my new song of hallelujah remains the reminder of my hope in a God who remembers.
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