But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19Chances are you are if you are like me you are trying to get all the last minute things done before you can relax and “enjoy” Christmas. There are presents to wrapped, groceries and last minute gifts to be bought and for me there is a Christmas Eve message to finish along with the power point. There is hardly time to “ponder” all these things. Yet that’s what scripture says Mary did, Luke 2:19.
The word strangely enough means “to bring or throw together.” It’ sort of like what someone would do with the pieces of jig-saw puzzle. They would look at them over and over, trying to figure them out and fit them together. Mary was taking all the pieces of the puzzle and tying to fit them together, the angel’s announcement to her that she would have a baby and that he would be born of a virgin, the timing of the birth so that he would be born in Bethlehem, the fact that there was no room for them in the inn and that he would have to be born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.
She also pondered the fact that the very first visitors to see her newborn son were not his grandparents or even friends but strangers, strangers in the form of smelly, unclean shepherds whose job it was to watch the Temple sheep. What did that mean? Was it a sign? A sign that her son was the Lamb of God who would one day be offered up for the sins of the world? Perhaps, but it didn’t make sense yet and so at least for now she took the time to ponder all these things in her heart.
I am convinced that Satan’s strategy is to keep us so busy that we don’t have time to ponder these things even at Christmas. Let me suggest then before Christmas is over that we learn from Mary the importance of taking time to ponder all these things in our heart, maybe by attending a Christmas eve service, or rereading the Christmas story as a family or just setting alone in the light of the Christmas tree and remember the real reason for the season is Jesus.
2 comments:
Very good blog. My husband was born in Holland. They never put Santa and the Baby Jesus to-gether on same day. They had Santa like Dec 7th. Then on Christmas Day was Christ is the reason.No presents. That is why people do not take time to sit with family as the day is what is under the tree to unwrap. Becomes more important. Then talking openly even before with a prayer before unwrapping. It is lets dive in and get the presents.
Holland still keeps it that way.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
God Bless!
Sorry, just got a chance to read this post. Thank you for the important reminder for us not to be too busy for God. Even though it's past Christmas, it's still the same--we need to be still & really get to know Him.
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