Singing Mary's Song of Thanksgiving

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." (Luke 1:46-55)

This familiar Christmas passage is often called Mary's Song or the Magnificat which is Latin for magnify. Mary sings this song in response to Elizabeth's exclamation of blessing to her when she arrived for a visit and when John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth's womb, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." Mary sang this song to magnify or to extol God. When we magnify something, we make it bigger, so we can better see it. Like a magnifying glass. Or when someone is put up on the jumbotron at a ball game, so everyone can see their silly dance. In the case of this song, Mary is narrowing in on the greatness of God. She is filled with wonder at what God is doing and can't help but bubble over into praise.

What makes this song all the more remarkable is the challenges and trials she likely went through before her visit to Elizabeth. She had probably been ostracized by many in her community. We don't know how her family responded, but they had every legal right to reject her, or worse. We know from the book of Matthew that Joseph wanted to divorce her after he heard the news of her conception. We should also remember where Israel is in her history. Since the exile, they have not had a king on the throne. The prophets have been silent since Malachi. Romans rule the world and their land. So in many ways, it's a dark time, for Mary and for her people. Yet as we see, she sings a song filled with wonder and thanksgiving…

To read the rest of this post, visit Reformation 21.

Why We Give Thanks

Thanksgiving. It's the season where we join together with friends and family around a table spread with food. We give thanks for the blessings in our life and recall all the good we've experienced during the year.

For some of us, it may be hard to think of things for which we are thankful. Life may not be going well. We may be in the midst of deep heartache, a season of suffering, or wandering through a dry desert—with no oasis in sight. 

Gratitude isn't only for those who have everything they've ever wanted and whose dreams have all come true. As believers, we are called to give thanks in all things and in all circumstances. If your heart wonders, "What could I possibly be thankful for this year?" consider this list:

Five Reasons to Give Thanks

1. God is Creator: We give thanks because God is our creator and sustainer. Each breath we take comes from him. Acts 17:25 says, "nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." Giving thanks acknowledges that we are dust and that everything we have comes from God; we can do nothing apart from God's grace.

2. God deserves and is worthy of our thanks and praise: God is holy, righteous, and good. He is worthy of all honor and praise. "I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High" (Psalm 7:17). "Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom" (Psalm 145:3). No matter what is happening in our life, no matter the challenges we may face, there is always a reason to give thanks—because God deserves it. We can thank him simply for who he is. And when we don't give thanks, when we hold back because our life isn't turning out how we'd like it to, we actually rob God of the praise and glory he is due.

3. Scripture calls us to give thanks: Paul tells us to "rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 4:4) and to "give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Giving thanks to God is something believers are to do all the time, not just once a year in November and not just when life is going well. Rather, it ought to be the continuous posture of our heart. When life is challenging, we often wonder what God’s will is. The Bible tells us: give thanks.

4. Because of all God has done for us in Christ: Our greatest reason to give thanks is because we've been brought from death to life. God has shown his goodness and faithfulness to us through the death of his Son on our behalf. Because of Christ, we have been adopted into the family of God. The list of benefits and joys associated with having new life in Christ is endless. What we have in Christ is reason enough to give thanks. "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe" (Hebrews 12:28).

5. It's what we were made for: We were made to worship, praise, and give thanks to God. The Westminster Confession says that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Giving thanks is one of the ways we bring God glory. It's also how we enjoy him. The beautiful thing about doing what we were created to do is that it gives us great joy. Knowing God and responding to his wonder and glory by returning thanks for who he is and what he has done, brings us deep and abiding joy. It's the kind of joy that anchors us during difficult times. Even when the sorrows of life cut into our life, we still have joy—a joy even in the midst of our tears because we are known by our Maker and Creator.

This Thanksgiving, there really is much for which to give thanks. From our very life to eternal life; from God's goodness to his steadfast love; from Christ's atonement to membership in the Body of Christ; from the wonder of knowing God to the deep joy of being known by him, the reasons are many. May giving thanks to our Lord be the joy and posture of our hearts this Thanksgiving and every day throughout the year.

For Those Who Struggle With Change

My life seems to be changing at a faster pace than usual. If it were possible, it seems as though someone pushed fast forward on the movie of my life.

And I find myself unsettled by it. Out of breath at times. Spun around and disoriented.

I took my oldest to the pediatrician for his annual visit and learned that he is 5 foot 11. How did that happen? Last I checked, he was still 5 and playing with Matchbox cars.

I look in the mirror each morning and swear new lines and spots have appeared overnight. Not only that, but ever since I hit forty, my body has become a traitor. Every year there’s some new physical issue to deal with, some new thing that needs medical attention.

Good things are happening in my speaking/writing ministry, but sometimes the pace is faster than I can keep up with.

The world and culture around me often seems like a snow ball rolling down hill, growing bigger and stronger and unstoppable. I often feel out of place and out of touch. I wonder, how did we get here?

I don’t know about you, but I’m not such a big fan of change, as least change I don’t have control over. I certainly like new experiences, as long as they are ones I’ve pursued and chosen, and that they arrive at a time that best suits me. In truth, I like to know what to expect. I like to be prepared. I like when things are manageable. I don’t like to be overwhelmed or uncertain or ill-prepared.

And so, with my life in fast forward mode, I’m clinging to what is certain and steady. To what never changes. I’m looking to the horizon to keep me afloat in the whirlwind. I’m looking to God, the One who never changes.

Our God Never Changes

Unlike our lives, the Bible tells us that God never changes. “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6). The same God who spoke and light broke into the darkness is the same God who rescued his people from slavery. The same God who chose Mary to bear our Savior is the same God who met Peter on the shores of Galilee and said, “Feed my sheep.” The same God who gave grace to David in his sin is the same God who forgives us when we cry out in repentance. Yesterday, today, and forever, he remains the same.

The God who greeted Moses in Exodus 34 with, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” does not change in his character. No matter how much time passes, no matter what is going on in the world, our God— who he is—does not change. That means we can trust him to always be steadfast in faithfulness, generous in love, and rich in mercy. He is always good and always does what it right and just.

God’s Word Never Changes

Because God never changes, what he says does not change. Everything in his word remains true for all eternity. All that Scripture tells us about our world, our fall into sin, and what God did to save us, will never change. What the Bible tells us about who we are, what we need, and how God provides it, will never change. Whether people agree with God’s word or not, has no impact, for it is firmly fixed forever, “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). Into all eternity, God’s word remains: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

This means that all God’s promises for us will never change as well. When everything is changing around us, and it feels like we are riding in some kind of crazy spinning tilt-a-whirl, God’s promises to us in his word steadies us in the tumult. Promises such as: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39) and “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6) and “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Change is part of life. Some change is good— the kind we look forward to and have long prayed for. Sometimes change comes into our life and knocks us over. There may even be seasons of life where changes come at us quicker than we can respond. But no matter the change, we can find rest and peace in our God who never changes. He remains trustworthy and faithful. His word and promises anchor us. Let us look to him.

Photo by Jerry Kiesewetter on Unsplash

How Motherhood Sanctifies

I don’t know about you, but when I was expecting my first child and thinking about what motherhood would be like, I didn’t factor in the problem of sin and what its impact would be on my mothering. Before I became a mom, I pictured motherhood to be like the sweet mother and baby interactions I saw on baby shampoo commercials. I imagined cuddles, smiles, laughter, and fun memories. When I daydreamed about motherhood, I pictured myself instructing with wisdom, responding with patience, and always handing out smiles. And while there are certainly plenty of smiles, cuddles, and laughter, there is also the problem of sin.

Motherhood Reveals What’s Already There

Unlike hard and difficult jobs I’ve had before, motherhood is all consuming. It consumes energy, time, emotions, wisdom, and everything else. It’s a 24/7 job, without any breaks, holidays, or vacations. It challenges us in our weakest areas. It reveals our insufficiencies. It shows us just how much we don’t know and how incapable we really are.

And, it seems to spotlight sin in our heart, magnifying it so that we see the depths of our sin in ways we’ve never noticed before.

It’s not as though motherhood makes us more of a sinner. Rather, areas of sin we didn’t realize we had are brought to the surface. Sinful habits and patterns are brought to light that may have once been in the shadows. The pressures, challenges, and difficulties of motherhood somehow make the sin we already have more pronounced. It’s like when the sunlight streams through the windows at just the right angle and shines upon the furniture. That light reveals all the dust layered on the tabletop. It was there before, we just didn’t notice it until the light shone down on it.

In a similar way, specific areas of sin in our heart are brought out into the light in motherhood in ways they never had been before…

To read the rest of this post, visit the enCourage blog, where I am sharing an excerpt from my book, Idols of a Mother’s Heart.

When God Gives Us Himself

It’s no surprise that I love the Psalms. They give voice to the deepest cries of my heart. Every emotion I feel, every struggle I face, every heartache I endure— it seems like the psalmist has been there too. Like Calvin wrote, the Psalms mirror what’s in my heart.

Not only does the psalmist’s prose reflect my own emotions, it also points me to real help and hope. The Psalms remind me of what’s true. Unlike the self-help book’s of our time, the psalmist doesn’t tell me I can do it and that I have what it takes to live my best life, or that I simply need to do x, y, and z and then my life will be all I want it to be; rather, the Psalms point me to the source and fountain of my strength and hope: God himself.

In Psalm 94, the psalmist was in despair. The wicked were attacking God’s people. “They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; and they say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive” (v. 6-7). The psalmist cried out to God for help and rescue. He sought the Lord as judge of all the earth.

In verses 16-22, the psalmist shows us it is God who meets us where we are with his presence and gives us just what we need.

“Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.”

In all the psalmist’s troubles, it was God who met him where he was. Who God is, his very character, meets the psalmist’s needs. When the psalmist was in battle against the wicked, it was God who helped him. When he almost slipped, it was God who held him. When his heart was heavy, God was his hope and consolation. When the wicked attack the righteous, God is his refuge.

This psalm reminds me that when I am in trouble, when I am in despair, when I feel lost and alone, what I need most is God himself. But this is not usually what I pray for or what I seek. Instead, I usually turn to false substitutes to step in and rescue me. I turn to comforts like binge-watching a favorite television drama or mindlessly scrolling through social media or brewing another cup of coffee—anything I think will make my life better. Or I might look to strategies, methods, and rules to make my life work. I put my hope and trust in them to rescue me from my troubles. Rather than turning to God as my refuge, I seek refuge elsewhere.

But as Matthew Henry noted in his commentary on Psalm 94: “The world’s comforts give but little delight to the soul when it is hurried with melancholy thoughts; they are songs to a heavy heart. But God’s comforts will reach the soul, and not the fancy only, and will bring with them that peace and that pleasure which the smiles of the world cannot give and which the frowns of the world cannot take away.”

God is our portion and our greatest treasure. He supplies all that we need with himself. On this side of the cross, God met us in the person of Jesus Christ. He is God in the flesh. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). So when it seems like evil is winning the day, when life is troubling and hard, when our feet slip, or when our hearts are heavy, the Lord is with us. He meets us and gives us just what we need. For he himself is our help, our hope, and our refuge.

Discipling Our Children Through Their Failures

There are many hard and difficult things about parenting. Potty training for starters. The candy aisle at the grocery store. Watching your child suffer from illness. Early adolescence. I could go on.

There's one area of parenting that hits me right in the heart. It's painful to watch and hard to endure. It reminds me of my own heart and my own weak flesh. But it's part of life and something our children need us to disciple them through. What is it? Failure.

We have all failed at something in our life. Perhaps we didn't make the team we tried out for. Maybe we studied hard for a test and failed. Many of us know what it’s like to not get a job or promotion we wanted. Perhaps a ministry we created crashed and burned. Or a dream we long hoped for never came to fruition. In one way or another, we all know what it’s like to fail. 

How we respond to and handle failure is crucial. And that's where our children need our help and counsel. Because they will experience failure in life. It may look different than the failures we’ve experienced. Some of the failures our children experience may seem small, but their response to failure now, as children, will help them when they face bigger failures in the future. For example, helping our children learn to fail a test now will help prepare them when they fail to get the job they want in the future.

Disciple Your Children Through Failure

Teach them to lament their failures: Failure is disappointing. It hurts. Our children may be frustrated with themselves, maybe even angry. They may be sad that they didn’t achieve the thing they worked so hard for. As parents, we ought to expect our children to have an emotional response to failure. Having emotional responses is part of being human. We need to listen to those emotional responses and respond in understanding and empathy. We also need to help our children learn what to do with those emotions. The Bible teaches us to come to God with our emotions. We need to help our children learn to cry out to God in lament. We can model it for them by praying out loud, telling God about the disappointment, sadness, anger, or other feelings associated with a failure. We ask God to be with our children and help them work through it, to be their comfort and peace. We also praise God for who he is and what he has done, acknowledging that he knows and rules over all things. We encourage our children to lament to God on their own as well.

Remind them why we fail: When our children fail at something, it’s a good opportunity to remind them that no one is perfect. Humans are limited and finite. We make mistakes. We forget things. We don’t always get a perfect score. We can affirm the longing they have for perfection because we all have that feeling that things are not as they should be. We can remind our children about the Fall of man and what happened to our first parents. We can also point forward to eternity when all things will be made right.

Help them learn from their failures: There are always lessons to be learned in failure. Often, after a failure has first happened, it’s not the time to teach those lessons. But after their emotions have settled down and they are ready to talk about it, we can help our children think through what happened and consider what they learned from it. Perhaps failing a test reveals a need to study more or study in a different way. Perhaps not making the team means more practice is required. There may also be some lessons to learn about perfectionism, idolatry, and dependence upon God in all things.

Point them to Christ who never failed: Above all, we need to point our children to Christ who was perfect for them. He never failed. He lived the life we could not live and died the death we deserved. When God looks at us, he doesn’t see our sin, but sees Christ’s righteousness. Though we may fail, Christ never will. He will be for us what we can’t be for ourselves.

Failure is a part of life. It’s hard for all of us. But it’s important that we help our children learn and grow through it. They will fail at things; we need to teach them to fail well.