December 14, 2017 Thursday Week 2 Day 5

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,     

and my spirit rejoices in God my savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.      

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,      

and holy is his name. 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 powerful from their thrones,      

and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things,      

and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel,      

in remembrance of his mercy,      

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,     

 to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Luke 1:46–55

            In a book I once read they used the Magnificat as a basis that God hates the rich and wants the poor to rise up and overthrow their power, even by violent means!

            Often we think of rich or poor as being a financial condition but remember God is more interested in the soul. When addressing the rich young ruler Jesus knew that his riches kept him from giving himself fully to God.

            Riches like anything can be a blessing if used for God or a curse if the cause us to lose our own soul!  True poverty is when we allow our riches to keep us from God and in our pride we refuse to seek his help.

Mary tells us God will scatter the proud in the very thought of their heart and He will bring down the very powerful from their Thrones.  God will send the rich and the riches away empty.  But to those who realize their hunger and in their thirst God will give good things to them and give Himself to them in their midst as He did in Christmas.

In Christmas see the one who came in poverty and in humanity that we may indeed be healed from our pride our arrogance and our wealth. Jesus came to set us free from all of the things that bind us and keep us from true life and from God.

            What will you do? Will you come to the manger and humbly bow before your God or will you settle in your riches and in the hope of your power?

           

            The days continue to be very bad.  I still hope that I will be well enough to be able to go to worship.  The pain is so bad it is hard to read scripture or even pray at time.  But I know God will bless and that there will be good ahead.  Hope is so important.