To Be Like Mary

Luke 2:19 – “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (NIV)

Luke 2:19 – “But Mary was keeping within herself all these things (sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart.” (Amplified)

What did it mean that Mary treasured these things? According to the dictionary, she carefully retained them in her mind, regarded or treated them as precious. She cherished them.

What did it mean that Mary pondered these things in her heart? According to the dictionary, she considered them deeply and thoroughly, meditating on them. She weighed them carefully in her mind and thoughtfully considered them.

I envy Mary her opportunity to treasure and ponder. Most of us living in 2008 lead active, noisy lives … especially at this time of the year. The Christmas season is full of fun and merriment with little time to treasure and ponder. With cell phones and computers there is constant news and communication. With televisions and movie theaters there is constant entertainment. With stores and the internet there is constant shopping. Christmas music plays everywhere we go, we compete for the closest parking space, we pore over flyers to find the best deals, we call family members, we wrap gifts, we put up lights and we go to church. But when do we treasure and ponder? From the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas day, are there times when we are still enough and quiet enough to cherish and treat as precious what we are celebrating? When was the last time you stopped to consider deeply, thoroughly, carefully and thoughtfully what happened in Bethlehem?

What did happen? What were these things Mary treasured and pondered? Many things had happened to her in the preceding nine months, but in the context of Luke 2:19, she was thinking about what the angel of the Lord had told the shepherds about her child. “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” Christ means Messiah. The Messiah, HER Messiah, had been born from her body. He would be the Savior. He had come through her to save the world. What good news of great joy! She rocked Him and looked in His little face, her thoughts too deep to convey – He was her baby and her Lord.

God left the splendor of heaven, wrapped Himself in humanity, and dwelled within a woman. God reaches down from heaven, draws us to the cross, and dwells within us in an eternal love relationship. Oh, treasure and ponder!