Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.

This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.

In a bit I will read the New Testament lessons selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.

The reading is understandable.

I use the message version relatable.

Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.

We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.

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Here's today's reading and we're reading today.

From the gospel of Luke 1:46 55 from the Message and Mary said I'm bursting with God news.

I'm dancing the song of my Savior.

God.

God took one good look at me and look what happened.

I'm the most fortunate woman on earth.

What God has done for me will never be forgotten.

The God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.

His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him.

He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts.

He knocked tyrants off their high horses pulled victims out of the mud.

The starving poor sat down to a banquet.

The callous rich were left out in the cold.

He embraced his chosen child.

Israel, he remembered and piled on mercies, piled them high is exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to right now.

That ends the reading.

Thank you friend for joining me in this conversation about this important scripture.

Our reading is today is Mary's song, sometimes called the Magnificent.

And it just says that Mary's bursting with God news and some might say good news that they both are true.

Because it's singing about the mercy that comes in waves and how tyrants are knocked off their high horses and the poor are seated at the banquet.

It takes the high and brings them down and takes the low and brings them up and God piling on the mercies just as he promised.

This isn't some quiet lullaby.

It's a song sung out strong and loud and sung by a young woman who is the highest of hopes, hopes that are bigger than her fears.

Let's consider three teaching points or points to ponder.

First is that Mary centers on a faith led by Women and the marginalized.

The first theologian of Christmas, my friends, is Mary Young, poor and courageously vocal.

Progressive faith listens to the voices that history sidelines and treats their testimony as primary, not optional.

If Mary's song leads us, our churches and communities must elevate women, LGBTQ siblings, black and brown, and any leaders of color, immigrants and workers, not as tokens but as co architects of the table.

Another point to ponder is God's mercy is social, not just sentimental.

It says he knocked tyrants off their high horses.

Did you get that?

And also says the starving poor sat down at the banquet.

They were lifted up.

Mercy in Mary's mouth looks like material change.

That is food security, fair wages, fair and safe housing, access to health care for all, and also demoted arrogance.

Progressive discipleship refuses the split between personal piety and public justice.

We pray and we organize and we sing and we show up.

One more point to ponder.

Reversal is good news for everyone willing to share power.

That is.

The magnificent reversals aren't about revenge, they're about repair.

The callous rich, it says here, are left out in the cold because hoarded abundance isolates.

The invitation is to step out of hoarding into solidarity, redistributing resources and decision making so all can feast.

That's how God's promises become visible.

Right now I'd like for you to consider an action step regarding this scripture.

Practice a magnificent reversal just like Mary did.

Pick some small, concrete way to move resources or power from those who really don't need it as much to those who do need it the most, such as an area of food.

Make a contribution monetarily or food or time or service to a food pantry, or deliver a meal for a service organization or to give a ride to someone who needs cancer treatment or something of that nature.

The area of voice.

Pass the mic to someone who needs it.

That is, if you have some position of influence.

Invite someone who is marginalized to speak up, to lead a meeting, to be involved, to be engaged, to be a part of the conversation, to be a part of decision making publicly and policy.

Email call.

Write your representatives about expanding access to needs such as mental health care, health care in general, or fair housing or even hunger relief in your area.

It's there.

You know it's there.

You can do something about it.

Then there's the area presence.

Take a listening walk around your neighborhood.

Take someone else with you.

Yeah, it could be a walk around your neighborhood.

The business is there.

It could be a walk in the woods.

But ask what would it feel like to really experience mercy this week or to give mercy this week, then do something about it.

We're going to come back and have a prayer to end things here today in just a minute.

Then once you know, we've got a resource for you.

That's your own biblical studies at home.

It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Method.

It's for free for you at our website, voiceofgoddaily.com let's pray God who piles on mercies, teach us to sing Mary's song with our lives.

Topple the arrogance in us and around us.

Seat the hungry at real tables and move us from sentiment to solidarity.

Be near to patients and caregivers, to those exhausted by bills and paperwork, to night shift workers and young parents, to anyone standing out in the cold.

Meet us in the hospital rooms and corridors and in cheers and in family group chants.

Be with us as we experience the laughter of little children and make our communities places where mercy flows in wave after wave, where power is shared and joy is stubborn.

Keep your promise through us, beginning right now.

Amen.

My friend, I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.

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Thanks much.

My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your Daily Bible Refresh.

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Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love.

Love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.