Read Luke 2:8-20
Pondering…
Luke tells us that Mary treasured all the experiences of the night of Jesus’ birth and ‘pondered them in her heart.’ How long has it been since you stopped and ‘pondered’ something?
Let me encourage you to do some pondering today. In the midst of food and presents and tinsel and wrapping paper and family visiting and telephone calls to those who aren’t with you and all the rest of the day, it may be difficult. It wasn’t easy for Mary, either. She was recovering from childbirth; she had a baby to care for; she was sleeping in a stable; she had shepherds come to visit; she was tired from a long journey from Nazareth; and before too many days had passed she had wise men stop by to visit, too. She didn’t have a lot of free time to ‘ponder’ and yet she did.
Back in early October, my father and I had an hour of time at the farm when there was nothing crying to be done. We sat on the swing on the front porch of the cabin and pondered the trees
and grass, the garden, the blackberry patch, the apple trees, and many of the joys of life. It was a blessed time of 'pondering' together.
That ‘pondering’ can be such a blessing. So today, ponder…
…the gift of the Christ child to you…
…the gift of friends and family…
…the gift of your church family…
…the gift of your home and food and clothing…
…the gift of life itself…
…all that God has done…
And rejoice in the blessings of God in your life. Amen.
May you and yours have a merry Christmas, full of the gracious gifts that only God can give.
Joe Shreve
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