Christmas Time is Here

Luke 2:19
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

I love the word "ponder". Ponder means "to weigh in the mind with thoroughness and care".
Can you imagine being Mary - suddenly pregnant by "immaculate conception" - the potential for chaos in her life because of this pregnancy - the looks, the whispers, the challenges that this young woman, chosen by God to mother His Son, must have faced.

Yet, as the story unfolds and Christ enters the world the scripture tells us that Mary treasured these things and pondered them in her heart. These were things that she hardly understood. Surely those around her were blind to the truth. Perhaps she no one but Joseph that she could share these things with. It must have a lonely time for her.

Yet, through God's grace in her life, she took these moments, experiences, snapshots in her mind and placed them in a treasure box in her heart. I am sure that through the years Mary would mentally open this treasure box - taking out one memory at a time and pondering each - surely still in awe and wonder that God would gift her with the privilege of mothering His own son.

Have you pondered the truths of Christmas - the mystery - the miracle?

Take some time today to consider this ... John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
Focus your thoughts on the majesty of our mighty God glimpsed through the Savior's humanity. Augustine, the 4th century theologian, said, "By his very natitivity he made an eye-salve to cleanse the eyes of our heart so that through His humillity we might see His majesty."

What a mighty God we have in Jesus, an omnipotent Lord who chose to limit His infinite power by clothing himself in the weakness of human flesh. Emmanuel God with us!