MORE ROOM IN MY HEART

Lk.1:46,47 – And Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”

I recently challenged our church to pray daily for at least fifteen minutes in the Spirit every day. It doesn’t sound like much but if you actually do that consistently you will see changes in your life. Mary didn’t speak in tongues while she was carrying Christ in her belly (though she did 33 years later on the day of Pentecost) but today’s verse is a prophetic song which is very similar to the prayer language. Prophesy and praying in tongues are both spontaneous and supernatural. As we can see in Mary’s song it is a cry for spiritual expansion. It is an awakened heart crying out for more of God. Mary had tasted the overshadowing presence of the Holy Spirit; the result? She had an intense longing for more. Here is how Charles Spurgeon describes this hunger for God.

“My soul would make greater room for him.” It is as if she wanted to get more of God into her, like Rutherford, when he says, “Oh! that my heart were as big as heaven, that I might hold Christ in it;” and then he stops himself—“But heaven and earth cannot contain him. Oh, that I had a heart as big as seven heavens, that I might hold the whole of Christ within it.” Truly this is a larger desire than we can ever hope to have gratified; yet still our lips shall sing, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” Oh! if I could crown him; if I could lift him higher! If my burning at the stake would but add a spark more light to his glory, happy should I be to suffer. If my being crushed would lift Jesus an inch higher, happy were the destruction which should add to his glory! Such is the hearty spirit of Mary’s song.”

The prayer language has been diminished and even scorned by the modern church. Many say it is just for the prayer closet; try to explain the upper room with 120 people praying in the Spirit all at once. I think the prayer language is deeply connected to spiritual hunger and spiritual power. So lets join together with Mary and make room for more of God, magnify the Lord with worship. Take up the challenge and pray daily in the Spirit for extended periods of time. What will be the result? Spiritual expansion; more room for the Lord in your life.