Mary Pondered by Dawn Whitmore

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Mary Pondered
by Dawn Whitmore
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Christmas season is upon us once again, do you think of the babe in the manger? (Actually it was more of a cave than the farm stable usually portrayed.) The shopping that hasn't been done or how Christmas has become so commercialized?

This Christmas I will be thinking of a young, teenage unwed mother who took time to ponder. Ponder?!?!? Yes! Mary took time out to ponder. Luke 2:19 states "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."

Ponder according to Webster.com means "to weigh in the mind; to view with deliberation; to examine carefully, to consider attentively." So, exactly what was Mary pondering?

1) She was reflecting being visited by the angel, Gabriel. 2) How an awesome God took care of everything for the birth of His Son. 3) That this tiny child, that she loved with all her heart God loved even more and her son, Jesus would save a lost & dying world. Did Mary really understand or comprehend what this child of hers would do? 4) She was not stoned. It would have been perfectly legal and acceptable for Joseph to have broke off the engagement. 5) The shepherds coming to see Baby Jesus.

Luke 2:8-18 "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

11For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:14"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"[

15So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17Now when they had seen Him, they made widely, known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

6) How much God loved her. This may seem simple to most people, but to a large portion of the world this is something almost unimaginable to them. These people can't believe God could love them after what they have done with the lives that He gave them.

May you be challenged this Christmas season to take time-out to ponder as Mary did.