God's Names at Christmastime - Mighty God

The following is from my book, The Names of God.

Luke 1:49 (ESV) for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

This is an amazing verse. He who is Mighty, holy is His name. There are many people in our world that could be considered mighty. However, when you consider the circumstances in which this statement is made you realize there can only be one conclusion.

Mary, a teenage girl in Israel, a virgin, was just asked to become the mother of God’s Son, Jesus. Can you imagine what must have been going through this young lady’s mind? Based on what we know about her background, Mary most likely understood The Law. She had heard that a Messiah was coming to redeem Israel – through a virgin. She also understood the penalty for pregnancy outside of marriage – death by stoning.

When the angel appeared Mary was surprised by the words spoken to her, yet she was willing to be obedient to God’s will for her life. “Let it be according to your word.” This one moment was both a pinnacle of excitement beyond her wildest dreams – to be the mother of God’s Son – and the deepest pit of dread – dying as an unwed mother.

She had to ask some questions: What would Joseph think? What would her parents think? What would the priest do to her? In the end her answer was, “Yes!” Once the decision was made and sealed by her confession to the angel, Mary began to see the gravity of her agreement. She just said yes to God. That is when she began her “song” as theologians call it - The Magnificat.

The verse cited above is part of Mary’s Song. He who is Mighty has done great things FOR ME. Unlike others that were encountered by God that could not find it within them to say, “Yes,” because of what it would cost them, Mary said, “Great things were done for me!” Mary realized that Mighty God had just entered her through the Holy Spirit. As far as we know from scripture, Mary became the first person filled with the Holy Spirit.

It resulted in her conceiving Jesus in her womb; God now becoming flesh. Jack Hayford, in his book “The Mary Miracle” describes this event as the “fountainhead of all miracles.” Because Mary recognized God as Mighty, and allowed Him to perform His plan through her, she became blessed among women.

Each of us has a choice today. Do we say, “Yes,” to God and His plan by allowing Mighty to do great things FOR US, or do we rebuff the One who loves us most?