Continual worship

Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

The Lord through the prophet Hosea under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit pointed out something lacking in the worship of the people of God. He pointed out that there was outward expression of worship with no inward effect. They were going through the prescribed rituals, like offering animal sacrifices and burnt offerings. The reality of the situation is that their hearts were far from God. God is not pleased with superficial, surface worship.

When Mary says "My soul exalts the Lord" in what has classically become known as "The Magnificat" recorded in Luke 1, she expresses a thought that wells up from deep within her inner being. The word "exalts" is the word in Greek "megaloonay". The first part of that word is borrowed from the Greek language and applied in many contexts in English. "Mega" means "huge". We put "mega" in front of just about any noun if we want to express the idea that it is great, large, or expanding. The idea expressed is that Mary is overwhelmed and overcome by the glory, the wonder, the majesty, and the awesomeness of the Lord.

It does not stop with a one time experience. "Megaloonay" translated in our English bibles "exalts" or in some versions "magnifies" is a present tense continuous action verb. That simply means that it is a continual action. Mary does not express a thought that is a one time event. She expresses an ongoing thought of worship.

That reminds me that my whole life is to be one big worship service. Worship is not something that I am to do at 9am, 10:30am, and 6:30pm on Sunday......it is a lifestyle.......God grant us worshiping hearts.