Mary's Song: My Soul Glorifies the LordSample

Day Four

God Has Reversed the Order of Things on Earth 

God has reversed the order of things on earth. Mary’s soul proclaims three results of the Messiah’s coming. She proclaims them as having already happened. Mary sees into the future, and standing there in the future, she proclaims what the Messiah’s coming has already done.

Mary sees that the Lord has reversed the order of things on earth. And note: He has done it with “the strength of His arm,” that is, not by love but by power.

First, the Lord scatters the proud. These are people who express pride in their thoughts, in “the imagination of their hearts.” Why do folks have pride? They think themselves better because of…

• looks
• position
• wealth
• spirituality
• ability
• heritage
• achievement
• possessions

Second, the Lord dethrones the mighty and exalts the humble. The mighty are those who sit in positions of power, authority, and influence over others. The picture concerns those who take their power and...

• seek their own ends
• fail to serve
• deprive others
• push others down
• abuse others
• enslave others 
• misuse  others

Mary predicts that at the end of time, the Lord will have dethroned the mighty while exalting those of low degree.

Third, the Lord fills the hungry and empties the rich. Those who are rich only in this world’s goods are stripped of earthly goods and sent away empty. Those who have nothing of this world but who put their trust in God receive good things.

For Reflection

Does it scare you that God scatters the proud? James 4 assures us: “But God gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God.” 

• Where have you seen power abused?
• Where have you seen power stewarded well?
• When have you seen God upset the power status quo?