Luke 2:19 (MSG)
19 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.
The NIV version says '...Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.'
The word used for 'kept or treasured up' in this verse is
syntereo. It means to treasure up / preserve in memory.
There isn't a single mother that can't relate to that word! Today Mary would have started a photo album. You know the kind. Not just an album filled with pictures, but lovingly designed with borders, stamps, stickers, journaled thoughts and memories, etc.!
Can you imagine what that memory album would have looked like. Not only was she preserving in memory the birth of her first born (don't you know they always get the best one!), but she was preserving the memory of the birth of our Savior, the Son of God. Are there enough stickers, stamps and decorative paper to properly commemorate this memory?
I wonder what thoughts Mary had that blessed night?
- Hope... this is the Son of God. The promised One that will fulfill prophesy and is our hope for the future.
- Wonder... how can this little child with 10 tiny finger and 10 tiny toes be Emmanuel ~ God with us? Such an ordinary infant in my arms that brings extraordinary things.
- Amazement... angels have provided my child's birth announcement. Strangers are coming to adore Him. I'm a simple servant, holding and comforting this King of Kings.
If you have submitted your heart and soul to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
~ you have much to ponder.
If you have come to the realization that as a sinner you fall short of being able to come before the throne of God, but by believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus your sins are wash clean and you are welcomed before His throne
~ you have much to ponder.
We capture moments in our lives all the time. We treasure them in albums of all kinds; births, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, milestones, etc. How much more so should we treasure the moments in our lives that represent the working of God.
So take that moment to ponder today's verse from this perspective. What are the God moments in my life? Not just the 'big' things that cause you to say 'that was a God thing', but all things. What has God refined in you over the last year, 2 years, 10 years, etc. Sometimes those things take time and if we don't stop to ponder them and treasure the memory of them we miss the joy of seeing His work.
What were you doing this time last year or any other year in the past? Were you seeking help for something? Were you being tossed in a storm? Were you battling a stronghold in your life?
Ponder those memories and see how God has refined you through those circumstances and situations. Treasure those memories today.
How about today? As we recognize God's refining work in our past, we can look at our circumstances and situations with a brand new perspective. If we can't see how He has worked in the past, we can't see how He is going to work in the present / future.
So take a moment today and ponder today.
What would your memory album be filled with?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, what a loving Father You are. As I ponder all that You have done in me and for me since I came to know You, my heart swells with joy. If I were to create a memory album of all I treasure in my heart, it would show the good times as well as the hard times. And on each page I would journal the words 'thank You'. Thank You for first loving me before I even knew how to love You. Thank You for the days, months, years and seasons when You took me on a journey that brought pain, heartbreak, angst and frustration, so I could learn to love You more and more. Thank You for all of the victories at the end of a refining battle. Thank You for never giving up on me. Most of all, thank You for the cross and the resurrection of Your Son. In His name I am given access to You today. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment