“And Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.’” (Luke 1:46)
What mission did Jesus come to accomplish? What was His target group?
No guess work needed here. In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Let’s remember that as we move deeper into the Gospel story, beyond the manger.
His mission? Bring salvation! His target group? Lost people! But who falls into that category of “lost?”
Isaiah 53:6 provides the unsettling answer. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his own way.”
There are no sinless people here. There are some decent people like Mary and Joseph, but as Isaiah said we have “all have gone astray.” And…brace yourself. That includes Mary. She says it here, “My spirit has rejoiced in God MY Savior.”
Sin claims and breaks us all. Mary was no different in that regard. Though she was seeking to live righteously, Mary had marks on her soul like all of us. She needed Jesus as much as any of us.
Imagine Mary, facing the inescapable conclusion that day in Elizabeth’s house, that she was actually carrying, in her womb, under her heart, tucked just below her rib cage, her own Savior. And when she began to grasp who and what this baby was, and why He was coming, no wonder she rejoiced in God who was extending the hope of salvation to her.
Who needs a Savior? That would be me…and you…and even Mary. Let’s follow Mary’s great example and make today another day of rejoicing in our Savior.
