Magnifying God

After Mary met with her relative Elizabeth, Mary did something that we should all be seeking to do in magnifying God (Lk. 1.39-46). The word “magnify” means “to deem or declare great, i.e. to esteem highly, to extol, laud, celebrate” (Thayer 394). The focus was upon God and not herself as Luke records her saying, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (Lk. 1.46 NKJV). She also rejoiced in God and acknowledged He was her Savior (Lk. 1.47). Her humility was on display with her use of the word “maidservant” (Lk. 1.48).

In another sense of the word “magnify” we have the concept of enlarging an object. I recall using a magnifying glass to look at insects and other small objects growing up. Some may use a magnifying glass to help them read. John the Immerser put the proverbial shrink ray on himself and the magnifying glass on Christ when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3.30 NKJV). Like Mary, John was magnifying God. His humility was seen all throughout his ministry (cf. Jn. 1.19-27, 3.26-31). John was not afraid to point others to the Christ and in the process magnify Him (Jn. 1.29, 35-36).

Paul understood that his life was a living sacrifice to God (Rm. 12.1-2). He sought to magnify Christ in his body whether by life or death (Php. 1.20). This we can say without a doubt Paul did (2 Tim. 4.6-8). Christ was his life, and He must be ours (Php. 1.21; Col. 3.4). Paul understood what it meant to magnify God when he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2.20 NKJV).

Can it be said in my life that God is magnified? Is He on full display by the words that I say and the things that I do? If not, why not?

Trent Thrasher