Magnify the Lord

Isaiah 6:1-3 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
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Luke 1:46-49 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name.”
 
Isaiah describes the Savior to come in many passages. We will view some of those in the coming days to connect with Luke. But first, let’s see Isaiah’s view of heavenly worship, also expressed in Mary’s praise to the Mighty One. To worship God is to magnify him in all he is. Worship is loving obedience and joyful submission. Isaiah saw heaven’s angels singing the three-part, “Holy, holy, holy” to continually worship God’s perfection. Revelation 4:8 records the same worship. God’s glory – his perfect power, beauty, righteousness, love – flows eternally throughout the heavens and earth. Seeing and hearing God’s perfection, Isaiah faithfully worships God through his prophetic ministry amid several kings’ reigns.
   In a different way of revelation, Mary also knew God’s holiness. As with Isaiah, God had chosen her to a remarkable work to reveal his glory to the world. In a sense, she becomes a prophet to proclaim God’s glory through the miraculous display of the virgin birth. From the day of the Spirit’s anointing, all generations have called Mary, “Blessed.” Why? This is not because of what Mary had done or will do. Mary is blessed among women and the human race because God chose her as one very intimate way to reveal his holiness to the world. Yes, Mary faithfully worshiped the Lord with her praise: “The Mighty One has done great things for me –  holy is his name.”  Her pregnancy is unplanned, unexpected and even unwelcome in the world’s view. This will cause her many hardships during Jesus’ entire life on earth. But then in deep reverence she speaks as did Isaiah to affirm God’s call. Her words express true, humble devotion. She knows God has chosen her to a most holy and remarkable task.
   Does “holy, holy, holy” now come from our lips, too?
I refer not to singing a hymn, but to speaking heart praises spoken, sung and confessed to declare God is the Mighty One. He has called you to be his own. And in his extraordinary grace, the Holy One of Israel forms you to be holy in Jesus’ blood. Indeed, this is a most astonishing truth. Our response is to worship him day and night as we pursue his holiness and declare the magnificent things he has done for us.
 
Prayer: You are holy, holy, holy, Lord. Thank you for making us holy before your throne as we declare, “Jesus is Savior, King, Redeemer.” Amen.