To listen to today’s activity, click here!

In Luke 1:46-47 Mary is singing praise to God, these verses say, “And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…”

Yesterday you picked your 2 favorite memory verse activities from this past month and did one of them. Today, do your other favorite activity to practice this week's verses! 

Today is our last day memorizing scripture, but this doesn’t have to be the last scripture you memorize. Look up other verses and talk with your family. Together, pick a family verse to memorize for the month of January. You have lots of ideas to help you memorize and you have been practicing them all month long!

Over the last 24 days, we’ve been excited with anticipation as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’s birth tomorrow. God loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son and through Him we get to live forever. Of course, Mary glorified the Lord in her soul and her spirit rejoiced. Emmanuel, God with us, the Messiah was coming into the world to save us and because of that good news she couldn’t help but worship!

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.” Luke 1:46-48

In this scripture, Mary gives glory to God once she learns that she will give birth to baby Jesus. When Mary receives this message, she is a young woman in her teenage years. Her circumstances are unique, but her song is a song of praise. She praises the Lord with her heart and her soul even though it would be hard to have a baby in her circumstance. Mary expresses humble gratitude that comes from a deep dependence on God and trust in who He is.

Many of us find it hard to praise God in the midst of hard circumstances. We may more easily give God glory when things are good, but when things are bad, what do we do? Do we turn to other things? Do we get frustrated and forget about God? Mary sets a good example of what it looks like to give God praise in all circumstances she faces. Whether we are starring in a play, getting a bad grade on a test, winning a game or struggling with our parents, we can praise God because our worship isn’t based on circumstances, it’s an outpouring of what is in our heart.

Jesus loves you, and He is with you in all circumstances, no matter where you are. 

What is something difficult you might be going through right now that makes it hard to worship God?

Think of a way that you can remember to praise God in the midst of every circumstance. This could look like writing it down in your journal, setting a reminder on your phone, or even sharing it with a friend.

Say this simple prayer as you go to bed tonight. “God thank You for sending Your son Jesus. In the midst of whatever I face, help me remember that You are good. You love me and I am Your child. Thank You Jesus”

“We offer our worship as a wellspring of devotion, rising up from the depths of our souls.”

Luke 1:46-48 (ESV) My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. 

Imagine a natural spring, pushing up from deep within the earth—pure, constant, and life-giving. Our worship should mirror this image: not manufactured or forced, but naturally flowing from our deepest places. The metaphor of a wellspring captures something profound about authentic devotion to God. Like groundwater that finds its way to the surface through unseen channels, true worship emerges from the hidden places of our hearts, shaped by our daily encounters with His grace. During Advent, we're reminded that Jesus came not just to receive our surface-level acknowledgments but to transform us into vessels of praise. This transformation begins in those deep, often untouched places within us. Think about how water shapes the underground caverns through which it flows—slowly, persistently, powerfully. Similarly, genuine devotion shapes us from the inside out, carving new channels of grace in our character. Mary's words exemplify this wellspring of devotion. Her song wasn't a carefully rehearsed performance but an spontaneous overflow of praise emerging from her encounter with God's incredible plan. Despite the overwhelming nature of her situation—being young, unmarried, and chosen for an unprecedented role—her response welled up from a heart saturated with Scripture and surrender to God's purposes.

We often try to manufacture devotion through external means—the right music, the perfect environment, the most eloquent prayers. But genuine worship, like a wellspring, can't be forced. It must emerge naturally from a heart that has been touched by divine love. This Advent season invites us to examine the source of our devotion. Are we trying to pump water from a dry well, or are we allowing God's Spirit to create in us a perpetual spring? Consider how this wellspring of devotion might manifest in daily life. Perhaps it's in spontaneous moments of gratitude while watching a sunset. Maybe it's in quiet acts of service that no one else sees. It could be in the way we approach our work, relationships, or daily tasks with a sense of sacred purpose. True devotion isn't confined to Sunday mornings or designated prayer times—it bubbles up unexpectedly, refreshing both ourselves and others.  Like Mary, who found herself part of God's grand narrative, our devotion deepens when we recognize our place in God's ongoing story. The Christmas story itself illustrates this principle. The shepherds' worship wasn't prompted by religious obligation but burst forth from their amazing experience in the fields. The wise men's journey wasn't mandated but motivated by a deep inner compelling to worship the newborn king. As we progress through Advent, let's focus less on manufacturing experiences and more on cultivating the conditions that allow worship to flow naturally. This might mean creating more space for silence and reflection. It could involve journaling about our encounters with God's grace. Perhaps it means being more attentive to the daily evidences of God's presence in our lives.

Take a moment to reread today’s Scripture passage and then spend some time reflecting on the following questions:

Luke 1:46-48 (ESV) My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. 

• What prevents your worship from flowing freely? Where do you see evidence of God's living water already flowing in your life?