Luke 1:49-50 For he that is mighty hat done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation
A few years ago, I was listening to the radio around Christmas time and there was a talk program where they were talking about the Christmas story, about Mary and baby Jesus and so on. Someone kind of casually said, “Well, God should have asked Mary first.” That is a very modern, entitled, American way to think. It is both arrogant and ignorant. Mary herself did not think that way. If there is no greater power than yourself, then there is no mercy. If there is just the power that we ourselves have, then we don’t have a greater power to look to for help or mercy for our life. Mary understood this. She understood the power of God and therefore the mercy of God.
In verses 46 and following we find her joyful song. She says, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” In verse 49 she says, “For he [God] that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.” So, God was both powerful and merciful. God is not merciful if He is not powerful; He is just weak. But, if there is a power in Heaven, then any good thing that I have is simply mercy.
There is no mercy without strength. Throughout this song you find references to God’s power. In verse 50 it says, “And his mercy is on them that fear him.” Verse 58 says, “The Lord hath shewed great mercy upon her.” In verse 54 it says, “He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy.” Verse 72 says, “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant.” So, there is no mercy without corresponding strength.
First, there is strength of character, which is to say, God is Who He is. Weakness is not mercy. My little dog Bromley is probably five pound soaking wet. When other dogs come over to our house, Bromley is half their size, but she just barks and barks. She is trying to exert her authority. She has a Napoleon complex. The fact of the matter is, Bromley is weak and intimidated, and therefore she barks. God is holy and powerful. Verse 49 reminds us, “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” God is perfect and God is powerful. There is no mercy in my life without recognizing the strength of God, a strength of character.
There is strength of memory. It is interesting that memory is brought up more than once. The Bible says that He remembered His mercy. He helped Israel and remembered His own mercy and the covenant He had made. Verse 72 says, “Mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant.” God keeps His promises. In Luke 2:25 there is a man named Simeon who had waited his whole life for the Lord Jesus, the Christ child. When he saw Jesus, he blessed God and said, “Lettest thou thy servant depart in peace…for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” That is God’s strength of memory.
Also, there is strength of judgment. In verse 51 the Bible says, “He [God] hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” That is strength of judgment. God gives grace to the humble, but He resists the proud. God remembers that we are dust. In one of the Psalms David says, “Lord, remember me,” then he says, “Lord, don’t remember what I’ve done in the past.” It is, “Lord, remember…O wait, don’t remember. Remember Your servant and Your mercy, but don’t remember my sins.” He is asking God for God’s mercy. That is strength of judgment. God has the strength to judge as is righteous and appropriate.
If God is going to give mercy to one, it means He is going to have to judge the other. If there is no judgment, there is no mercy. By what would you account mercy if there is no judgment with which to begin. Suppose there is a lady who is being mistreated by her husband. Every night she prays to God for mercy. If God is going to give that lady mercy, what is He going to give that husband? He is going to give that husband judgment. In other words, mercy on one demands judgment on the other.
The truth is, in various ways we all deserve God’s judgment, so there is no mercy without strength. There is the strength of God’s character, strength of God’s memory, and strength of God’s judgment. Today, we will all live better, happier, and healthier if we realize that we are not entitled to everything. We are a creation; God is the Creator and He is a God of strength Who offers mercy to us who are of humble heart.