Mary's Sweet Sixteen

I am teaching through the book of Luke in our Sunday morning small group class. We are not even out of the first chapter yet and God has already overwhelmed me with Himself. He is such an amazing God. I love how God sends Gabriel to Zacharias with His message and how God picks up right where He left off 400 yrs before in Malachi. God has Gabriel speak to Zacharias as though He had just spoke through Malachi 4 days before not 400 years before.
Why shouldn't He?
His word endures forever and it does not whither or fade and Zacharais was a priest, a man of the covenant and He was to remember the words of the covenant and to live them and teach them to others... so this message of God given through Malachi should have been right on the tip of Zacharias tongue and at the front of his mind as if it had of been spoken just 4 days before. 

As is should be with us... after all man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Then as we go further into the first chapter of Luke there is that wonderful message that Gabriel delivers to Mary as he is reminding her who her God is, "For nothing (not any word) will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37).

Once again words of truth that we should hold to, live by, and teach to others as though God just spoke them 2 days ago and not 2000 years ago... for His word endures forever.  

Then Elizabeth full of the Holy Spirit declared, "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." (Luke 1:45)

How could Mary help but respond with praise?
I call Luke 1:46-55 Mary's sweet sixteen. I call it this because in her prayer of praise she gives us sixteen amazing facts about our amazing God.
So here it is:

 Mary's Sweet Sixteen

1) He is Lord

2) He is my Saviour

3) He has regard for the humble state of His bondslave

4)He is the Mighty One

5) He has done great things for me

6) His name is holy

7) His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him

8) He has done mighty deeds with His arm

9) He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart

10) He has brought down rulers from their thrones

11) He exalts those who were humble

12) He has filled the hungry with good things

13) He sends the rich away empty handed

14) He has given help to Israel His servant

15) He remembers His mercy

16) He keeps what He has spoken forever

I adore this prayer of praise. Just remembering one of these sixteen can keep my mind steadfast and in perfect peace because I know that He is faithful and His word endures forever. So as the dreaded Monday quickly approaches, I encourage you to begin your work week with Mary's Sweet Sixteen and may you too be blessed because you have believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to you from the Lord...