Luke the physician wrote how Mary was visited by the “angel Gabriel” and was told she would have a child who was to be the Lord. Her cousin Elisabeth was also pregnant in her old age, and she praised the “mother of her Lord”, Mary, to which Mary replied, “My soul does magnify the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty has done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation”, and in chapter one and verse fifty-one of his book Luke shared how Mary says, “he has showed strength with his arm” where we read:
He has showed strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
The verse reads, “He has showed strength with his arm;” Luke began with the words, “he has showed strength” or “God has ordained, made and produced force, mighty deed and work of power” “with his arm” which means “with God's might and power”. Luke shared how God demonstrated His power with His mighty force.
The verse continues, “he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” Luke added the words, “he has scattered the proud” which means “God has dispersed, separated and winnowed the pre-eminent, ones showing themselves above others, the overtopping and conspicuous above others” “in the imagination” or “within the thoughts, mind and understanding” “of their hearts” which means “pertaining to the proud people's fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors”. Luke shared how Mary said God “dispersed” people who were conspicuous over others within the “thoughts” of their “hearts”.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see how Mary credited God with demonstrating His power and dispersing “proud” people who thought themselves “overtopping” others. By blessing the “virgin” Mary with a child who would be the Savior of the world, God demonstrated His supernatural “power” and His ability to overcome those who think themselves better than others. God's salvation is available to every person, and those who yield their lives to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” recognize God's “power” and ability to humble the “proud”.
Next time Luke shares how Mary says, “he has put down the mighty from their seats”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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