December 8th

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48  for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.
Luke 1:46-49

Someone once asked me what I loved best about vacations. I do love a good adventure, but my immediate response was that I feel unhurried on vacation. No matter what type of vacation it is, I feel myself unwind; there is a slowing that happens inside me, and as a result, I experience such peace. It’s like my soul takes a deep breath. When my soul is at peace, I am able to notice the good gifts that God has given me. It’s as though my senses are heightened, and I am more fully present. I am able to see the people around me more clearly, and I can be my most joyful self. Though I can’t stay on vacation forever, I can let God continue to transform me into a person of peace, someone who is unshakable no matter what chaos or routine life is around me. I want my responses to reflect the peace that I carry with me.

I want my responses to be like Mary’s.

Mary, arguably more than anyone in history, had her life interrupted by Jesus. She could have responded in so many different ways, but her posture toward God was simply beautiful. I am humbled by her response to her circumstances. She is so moved by His love and so tuned in that she responds with worship—not running away screaming, not asking a thousand questions, but worship. She is humble and confident in who she is in God. She recognized the weight of the moment she was experiencing and its generational impact. She is so reverent in the way she describes Him—her Savior, the Mighty One. She didn’t get caught up in the frenzy of the moment, the details, or the fear. Instead, she was able to zoom out and see the bigger picture. She responded with joy. Don’t you picture her smiling as she says these things? Mary’s soul was at peace.
How do you respond when your day is interrupted? How do you respond when there is chaos around you? How do you respond to life-altering news? Your answers are indicators of the state of peace in your soul. May God transform us into people of peace, and may our responses start with worship.

-lacy wagler