To Encourage You

Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

I wonder what Mary thought about as she held her son? The birth of any child is a miracle that brings many thoughts to any parent. But what did Mary think about? She had been told that her son was to be called Jesus (i.e., “Jehovah is salvation”) because He would save His people from their sins. This little helpless infant, the Savior of the world? How could this be and how would He do it? Did she realize that this baby had existed as the King of kings in heaven from all eternity? Did she realize that this One to Whom she’d given birth had Himself given birth to the universe, speaking it into existence? 

She must have wondered what He would become, this little One Who didn’t know how to talk, but would eventually speak words more wonderful than anyone had ever spoken. The wise men would come to marvel at Him and worship Him, for all their wisdom was from Him, and in Him were hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). The shepherds had come to bow before Him, for the angels had declared His glory to them. What must Mary have thought? 

As a Jew, Mary knew that no one was to ever be worshiped except God alone, yet it was the very God that held the universe in His hands that she was now holding in her arms. What glorious awe to think that this omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God had condescended to be born and enter the world He had made just like every other person whom He had created. What glorious things to ponder! She had to wonder at how great he would become, but she couldn’t have known just how wonderful – that He would someday turn water to wine, walk on the water, silence the wind and waves with a word, give sight to the blind, cause the lame to walk, and raise the dead. And she couldn’t have known how many millions of lives He would transform by His power and save through His death on the cross. 

So, do you think about Him? Do you ponder the wonderful and glorious things the Scriptures reveal about Him.  May God help us to ponder the wonders of Christ in our heart.  For hasn’t God Himself, through His apostle Paul, urged us to think on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, (and) if there is anything worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). Nothing in heaven and earth provides us with such glorious things to think about than to ponder on thoughts of the glorious Christ.