Luke 2: 1-35
7. and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
I had just left my daughter in Texas, and soon “the time would arrive” and she’d give birth. I was so glad she wouldn’t be looking for an inn… or having to place my granddaughter in a manger. But Mary had no family around, except Joseph. My daughter had no family around except her husband. But the Lord was with her, and that’s better than me being with her (though I would have loved to be there.)
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Mary treasured “all these things”. What were all those things? I think some of them were:
- The visitation by the angel saying she had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah.
- God spoke to Joseph in a dream verifying that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit and had not been unfaithful with another man.
- God again intervened through a dream so that she and Joseph left town with baby Jesus before all the baby boys were slaughtered.
- The reassurance she received when visiting her cousin Elizabeth, “How is it that the mother of my Lord would come to me?”
- The shepherds coming to see the baby and telling of the angelic announcement.
- Meeting Simeon and Anna in the temple… and both of them speaking of Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. More faith-building confirmation.
What are some of the things that I can treasure in my heart?
- God has kept His promises to me… and is still keeping them.
- He has given me favor at my jobs.
- He has many times put me in the right place at the right time, and given me answers to problems.
- He has forgiven me countless times.
- He has filled me with His Holy Spirit… and keeps filling me (I leak!)
- He is teaching me to walk closer with Him and hear His voice.
- Looking back at our lives, many times He has guided us and protected us even though we didn’t even know we needed it. Cars that could have died on the road but waited til we got home. Near accidents, but we were safe.
- , etc., etc.
What do you treasure in your heart? What do you meditate (ponder) on? Fears, Hurts, Needs, Answered Prayers, Blessings, Promises?
28. Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29. “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30. For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31. which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32. a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
The word that sticks out here is light. Another daughter was talking about spelunking – exploring caves – and we were talking about how dark it is there. So dark that your eyes never adjust. If you hear a noise, or feel something hit you, you can’t tell what it is. You can’t find your way. Do you go right or left? Is the ground level, or will you fall off a cliff? Are you going deeper … or toward the entrance? I am terrified of the possibility of being trapped in total darkness, not knowing which way to go. No spelunking for me (or her either, if I had anything to say about it.)
Jesus was sent as our salvation…. A light for revelation to the Gentiles. Sometimes I don’t think we realize how most of the world is trapped in total darkness… how we were trapped in total darkness.… until the Light was revealed in our hearts. We cannot find our way without the light. We don’t know what is attacking us, or who our enemy is, without the light.
Oh Lord, we need Your Light… and your guidance…. And your word. No counterfeits!
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (emphasis mine)
Such beautiful words spoken about their child. And then Simeon ends with this. “And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” I’ve wondered about that sword. Could it be that she had to watch her beloved son be rejected and brutally murdered? Most likely.
But I believe there is another sword piercing Mary’s heart. I believe this sword is that people focus their faith on her, talk to her… and not her Son. She knows Who He is, the Son of God. She knows what He did for us. He is the one to talk to.