Magnificent Motherhood
One of the finest words in any language is the word, mother. Even if your relationship with your mother was less than the best you have an obvious attachment to her because she gave you life. If someone says something unkind about your mother, you will rise to her defense.
Some in our culture promote the idea that motherhood is at best, a second-rate way for a woman to use her gifts and abilities, and at worst, a tragedy that should be avoided at all costs. Even after decades of indoctrination by radical feminists, many women still have a desire to be mothers.
In an essay titled, “What’s Wrong with the World,” G. K. Chesterton challenges the complaint that [motherhood] is narrow and demeaning for women. On the contrary, he states: “a woman is generally shut up in a house with a human being at the time when he asks all the questions that there are, and some that there aren’t. (You mothers know all about that.)
It would be odd if she retained any of the narrowness of a specialist. When people begin to talk about this domestic duty as not merely difficult but trivial and dreary, I simply give up the question for I cannot with the utmost energy of imagination conceive what they mean.
How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about [basic math], and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone [a specialist], and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a mother’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute.” End of quote.
G.K. Chesterton was an English writer from the early 1900s with a very diverse output from poetry to Christian apologetics. I’ve come to appreciate his writings. He had a unique and memorable way of communicating the truth as you hopefully observed in the quote I just read.
The second Sunday in May in the US and Canada is designated as Mother’s Day. In honor of mothers, we turn to the Gospel of Luke chapter one, verses forty-six to fifty-six. This portion of the Bible is sometimes referred to as “The Magnificat,” because that is the opening word of the Latin text. I’ve titled the message, “Magnificent Motherhood.” Again, that text is, Luke 1:46-56. Here is the Word of God.
Meditating on this text reveals several CHARACTERISTICS of “Magnificent Motherhood.”
The First CHARACTERISTIC is,
She Rejoices in God’s Blessing (46-48)
I admit that Mary’s circumstances were unique. No other woman ever had a privilege like hers; to bear the Christ child. It’s no wonder that the realization of her privilege caused her whole being, spirit, soul, and body, to burst forth with praise to her God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Her privilege was the culmination of countless prophecies given to the people of Israel. No other birth would ever be as significant!
And yet, to every godly mother, the birth of every child is significant. Every mother can and should respond to the child-bearing privilege in a way similar to what Mary did. In our modern, technologically, and medically advanced society, we have somehow developed the notion that human biology or medical intervention can either prevent or provide conception. But that is an extremely arrogant and ignorant conclusion. The Bible explicitly reminds us that God is the one who opens and closes the womb. Genesis 30:2, Isaiah 44:2, Psalm 113:9, and others, all confirm this fact. That should help us understand that every conception is a miracle! If you dispute that, just talk to some childless couples.
Look carefully at Mary’s song of praise. First, she declares the greatness of God with her soul; her mind, will, and emotions. The verb tense of the word magnify tells us that this is what is happening as Mary speaks.
God graced her with the special honor of being the earthly mother of Messiah. Of all the women that He could have chosen, He chose her! I believe Mary was chosen before the foundation of the world to be the mother of the Savior. It was a singular honor. But, if you’re a mother, you too have been chosen to give birth to the children God has given you. How awesome that God would entrust you with that privilege and responsibility!
And then, Mary blesses God with her spirit. The text literally states, “My spirit jumped for joy in God my Savior.” In her spirit, Mary perceived some measure of the importance attached to this child, Jesus. As further proof of her perception, the Bible reminds us several times that she “pondered in her heart” the events of the unfolding revelation. There was a spiritual significance to this experience.
Mary recognized her own poverty and unworthiness. We conclude from her own words that she came from a humble family, a poor family. But it must have been a family rich in faith! I cite as evidence Mary’s reference to herself as a bondslave of God. That is, she had voluntarily surrendered her life to the control of her Master, the God of Israel. This was no easy assignment the Lord had given her!
As a bond slave, her Master knows all about her, and she is amazed that God would favor her in this way. Let me ask you mothers who are listening to me right now; “have you ever been amazed and grateful that God has given you the privilege of bearing children?” Maybe you’re thinking, “Why should I be amazed and grateful?”
Well, look at the last phrase in verse forty-eight. Mary says, “from now on, all generations shall bless me.” Why? Because she was the mother of the Lord Jesus. And while I cannot fathom all that it meant for Mary to “mold and shape” the character of the Christ-child, I do know that her life had an impact on His because that is the way motherhood works.
She knew that this child in her womb would change the course of history in a unique and unprecedented way. While Jesus was one-of-a-kind, I assure you that every newborn has the potential to impact human history in a positive way. And if you, as a mother, raise a godly child, future generations will bless you too!
So, if you’re a mother, I’m asking you, “Have you blessed God, like Mary did, for the privilege of being a mother? Do you want to move from “average” motherhood to magnificent motherhood?” Then rejoice in God’s blessing of children.
The Second CHARACTERISTIC is,
She Rehearses God’s Power (49-53)
Mary begins her rehearsal of God’s power by referring to God as “mighty.” This word contains the idea of capability and possibility. Remember what the angel said to Mary in response to her question about how she could be pregnant without having had a physical relationship with a man? He said, “With God, nothing shall be impossible!” Mary is literally saying that God, who is capable of the impossible, has done excellent, wonderful, things; things no one else can do. Because of this, she stands in awe before Him.
Why was it important for Mary and every godly mother to rehearse God’s power? Because successful motherhood is impossible without it! How would Mary have responded to the circumstances of life that came to her and to her son if she had not been convinced that God was in control? God’s actions, past and present, convinced Mary of His holiness. She knew God could be depended on to do what was absolutely just and right. She was seeing life from God’s perspective, not from a human perspective.
And then, Mary acknowledges God’s holiness, the awesomeness of God’s name. The word awesome is overused in our day. People throw it around lightly to describe all sorts of things. In reality, only God and the works He’s created are awesome. You can have an awesome sunset, but you can’t really have an awesome apple pie! It’s interesting that when Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He told them to say “Our Father who is in Heaven, may your name be regarded as Holy.” God is jealous for the holiness, the awesomeness, of His name.
Next, she rehearses God’s mercy, another facet of His power. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word mercy is often translated, as loving-kindness, especially in the Psalms. It speaks of God’s gracious love, demonstrated in His covenant with Israel. This was Mary’s concept of God’s mercy. God’s steadfast, loyal love follows the generations who fear Him and walk in His ways. This is a message that every godly mother should strive to communicate with her children.
Verses 51 to 53 reference God’s power through a series of contrasts. First, we see God’s dealings with the proud versus the humble. In each case, the aristocratic and the wealthy are set aside in favor of those who are disadvantaged. The text says that God “has scattered the proud…” This is a very graphic word that literally means to winnow. The picture is of an ancient threshing floor where the grain was tossed into the air to separate the kernel from the chaff. By choosing an insignificant, poverty-stricken girl to be the mother of the Savior, God was tossing the expectations of the proud to the wind! And we know from Jewish history that their expectations of a Messiah did not include this scenario.
We also know from history that oppression of the poor was a constant problem for Israel once they settled in the Promised Land. Read the prophets and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Oppression of the poor was one of the major issues that led to the Babylonian captivity. Now granted, it was not the main problem, but it was a symptom of their spiritual condition. God had given Moses specific commands about how the poor were to be treated and cared for. But Israel either ignored or violated those commands. Jesus was born in a time and place where oppression of the poor was rampant!
Next, Mary proclaims that He has removed princes from their place of authority, and in turn, elevated those of very humble circumstances. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, developed this concept by stressing that the only ones qualified to rule were those who understood their position as a place of service, not lordship. God’s view of power is the opposite of man’s view.
And finally, in His power, God provided lavishly for the needs of the poverty-stricken, hungry ones but the affluent he sent away empty. The Gospels abound with illustrations of this reality. While largely forgotten in our modern, affluent society, these truths are universal and timeless. A godly mother will take pains to communicate them clearly to her children so they can understand how God’s economy functions. Magnificent motherhood rehearses God’s power.
The Final CHARACTERISTIC is,
She Recalls God’s Promises
In the concluding verses of our text, Mary appeals to the promises that God made in the past. One thing that causes serious difficulties for our culture and for the church today is we have too little knowledge of the past. And those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat the failures of previous generations.
But Mary makes the connection between the present and the past. God’s actions in this scene from her life are connected with His covenant promises to Abraham. The KJV uses the word holpen in verse fifty-four. Other versions simply update this word to “helped.” But the original word conveys so much more. It means to lay hold of, to embrace. It implies a personal relationship. Every Christian mother needs to help her children see their connection to the past, whether the recent past in their godly ancestors or the ancient past as the basis of God’s activity in the world today. Mary was aware of God’s actions, and how He demonstrated His covenant faithfulness in the history of her people. That awareness assured her that He would be faithful to her in the difficult role she had as the mother of the Messiah.
Mary understood that God’s promises to Abraham were eternal. She was to be the bearer of the promised “seed” that would bring the blessing of Abraham to all nations, not just to the Jewish people. Her current circumstances had a connection to the ancient, covenant promises of God. I imagine that this knowledge sustained her in the misunderstandings and false accusations she faced while carrying out God’s plan for her life. In our current climate of world turmoil and spiritual darkness, I cannot see how any mother can bring children into the world without an acceptance of and appreciation for the promises of God! But Mary’s day was little different.
Now maybe after hearing all this, you’re thinking, “I haven’t been a very magnificent mother.” One of the blessings of being a child of God is that you can make a fresh start as you’re exposed to new principles or reminded of ones you’ve forgotten. Mary was not a super saint; she was not without sin. She was an ordinary Jewish girl with an extraordinary faith in God. Like all biblical characters, she was imperfect, flawed by sin, but open to what God wanted to accomplish in and through her. She is a worthy model for you to follow.
Magnificent motherhood is not for the proud, the power-hungry, the affluent, and others who have no concept of need. No, this kind of motherhood will only come to humble servants of the Lord who rejoice in His blessing. It will only come to those who acknowledge that they are inadequate for the task; those who rely on God’s power to bring them to the desired end. And it will only come to those who realize that, without recalling the promises of God in their lives, there is no hope for a future generation that will walk in faithfulness to God.
Magnificent motherhood is a journey of faith from beginning to end. It is the most monumental task ever assigned to humanity, and it can only be accomplished successfully in the power of God. I pray that these words will encourage you in your role as a mother. May God make each of your mothers, magnificent for Him, for your children, for your husband, for the church, and for the world.