Magnify

According to Guinness World Records, the magnifying glass was invented by the Franciscan friar and scholar Roger Bacon in in Oxford, England (c. 1214-1292). The first mention of its use was in 1268. He adapted its use as primitive reading glasses, allowing his fellow scholars with failing eyesight to continue their work. Its many uses have now has exceeded that initial fix for poor eyesight. I can think of a time as a kid when we would try to burn paper with it, or scorch an any if we could find one still enough. Today I find myself in need of magnifying lenses (readers) when it comes to smaller print or insufficient lighting. To magnify something is to bring it increase its size in relation to how you see it. There are two main definitions today in English for “magnify”: 1) make (something) appear larger than it is, especially with a lens or microscope; 2) extol or glorify. In either definition the opposite is to reduce or minimize. The first definition relates to zooming in or magnifying it in relation to your limited eyesight. The second is in relation to its value or importance to the one looking. 

What is Christmas for? A time to magnify the Savior of the world. Christmas is a time to praise Him and glorify Him as He should be. Our poor spiritual eyesight needs a reminder of His magnificence. It is a time to put Him back where He belongs in our estimations (view through the lens). 

It’s tempting to respond to the Christmas story by thinking, I’ve heard this before. May I remind you that there are no prophecies detailing the birth of other religious leaders? No prophecies alerted the world to the coming of Muhammad (Islam), Joseph Smith (Mormonism), David Koresh (Branch Davidians), Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), Siddhartha Gautama (Buddhism). Yet the Old Testament pinpointed numerous details about Jesus’ birth, all with 100% accuracy. Jesus’ birth, right down to the last detail, was a fulfillment of thousands of Old Testament prophecies. Three hundred fifty-three were fulfilled in just one day! These prophecies were written between 1450 BC and 430 BC. That is four hundred to fourteen hundred years before He was born. The fact of His coming was projected by God Himself in Genesis 3, four thousand years before He arrived. It would be difficult enough to predict something five years away let alone in a span of four to fifteen centuries, especially with this degree of detail, and to be 100% accurate. Who but God alone could plan such things?

No amount of special effects could ever recreate that one-time event found in Luke 1.26-37: 

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Let’s see how this applies to us today. First, in verses 26-28, Mary is confronted by Gabriel. She responds with doubt in verse 29. Naturally she was full of fear in verse 30, after all she just saw Gabriel. Gabriel explains how Mary will give birth to the Messiah in verses 31-33. Then in verse 34, she thought of the physical inhibition (she had not been with a man). So, Gabriel explains how this is going to happen in verse 35. Just in case she needed some proof, she was given a case in point in verse 36 (her cousin Elisabeth).

This is the point when Gabriel gave the key to this entire passage— “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (37). Do you really believe that? Let’s look at how Mary (and we should) magnify Him. 

Begin by Accepting Him. Verse 38 says— “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” God knows how we are. He knows our frailties, vainness, and fears. He knows us because He created us. Knowing how we are, He gives confirmation through Mary’s own elderly cousin Elisabeth. See God’s tenderness here in reassuring Mary in verses 39-45… 

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

After this confirmation, this reassurance, Mary responds by magnifying God in verses 46-49…

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

It all finally came down to a humble accepting by Mary. She accepted it because she realized ‘God would do a great thing, and that great thing through me’. You can accept things in your heart and mind, but you need to go on and… Acknowledge Him. In verse 28 Gabriel said— “The Lord is with thee…”. Can you think of anything more amazing to hear than God is with you? You are probably thinking what Mary was thinking, ‘no way!… me?’ But Gabriel said in verse 37— “with God nothing shall be impossible”. It’s important that the believer acknowledge that God is with us. It’s an acknowledgement, a notable taking in of knowledge. It is not with passivity, but with deep reflection we acknowledge He can do anything and He is with me! At this point are you as Mary was then? Have you gone pass the acknowledgment that God is with you and working? What’s pass that? I’m glad you asked…

You have to Allow Him to work. She said in verse 38— “…be it unto me according to thy word…” This is yieldedness, humility, meekness, surrender, and trust. She did, and we must also, give in to God’s will for us. The difference in Mary and most of us is when given proof and confirmation, we still doubt. This is the battle isn’t it? The battle of wills. I have wondered why she says this, after all, the announcement isn’t one which needs any acceptance or acknowledgment from Mary. What God is going to do, He is going to do. Who is she, to allow or not allow this? She does though. She, in one phrase, became a team player with God’s plan. The same God who brought about a miracle and chose to use this woman, has chosen to occupy you as well, desiring to use you also. If you keep doubting God you’ll be the one who misses out, because God is eager to demonstrate just how powerful He is in and with you.

The central character of the Christmas story is Jesus, not Mary. So magnify Him. Do not wait until it happens for you. Magnify Him now! He finds willing people and looks for their humility so He can work in them to display His glory to this world. The most impossible thing that could ever happen, happened! What Mary did was not just yield to it, she chose to magnify Jesus in it. She chose to lift Him up and put Him in the magnified position He deserves in her life. That’s what she said in verse 49— “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things…” Can you say that today?

Get your eyes off of how impossible and terrible life is right now. Put on the magnifiers and start accepting, acknowledging, and allowing God to be magnified in your life. In case you need to know why… because He that is mighty hath done to me great things! 

How do you plan to magnify Him today?