I have to wear reading glasses now. It happened suddenly. One day I couldn’t see the food at the end of my fork clearly as I put it in my mouth. I rubbed my blurry eyes, thinking I’d gotten something smeary in them, but the blurriness remained. And it’s still there.

Reading glasses are basically magnifying lenses that make things bigger that are close up so I can see them more clearly. I can read, thread a needle, and see what I’m eating.

I can still read without the glasses, but I have to squint and struggle. I get frustrated and make errors. Eventually I get a headache. I either give up or go in search of my nearest pair of reading glasses.

“And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” (Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭46‬-‭47,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

The archaic meaning of magnify is “to praise” or “to extol.” I know that was the translator’s intent in this verse.

But it’s interesting to think about the more modern meaning of “to make something bigger.” I think that meaning is appropriate here as well.

God is bigger than anything I can imagine, bigger and more mighty than anything He created, bigger than the universe, and He’s everywhere in it.

And yet, in my life He takes up only a small corner. That is a terrible decision on my part. I need to magnify God in my life. I need to give Him complete access and full control so His love swells to every nook and cranny in my soul. Then I will experience His true magnificence. Only then can I appreciate His love and wisdom, holiness and beauty.

This is what happened to Mary when God invited her on the journey of birthing the Savior. She was filled with God’s Spirit. God was magnified to His true size in her soul. She could no longer contain her joy and burst into song. The Magnificat.

Dear God, I know you are not small. I am sorry for making you so in my life. Please fill me with your fullness, or what I can handle of it. Reveal to me your vast love and infinite holiness. Take up as much room in my life as you want, pushing out the clutter that does not belong and has no value.