But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:20.

One of the more profound statements in the incarnation of Christ was this simple commentary on Mary’s reaction to the events that she experienced. There are only two places in Luke that mention this statement about Mary. The first one is in verse twenty, the second is verse fifty-one:

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. Luke 2:51.

The second time was when Jesus went missing after the Feast of the Passover. They had made the trip to Jerusalem and assumed that after they departed that Jesus was hanging out with relatives. When they could not find him, they ventured back to Jerusalem. After three more days of hunting (which sounds incredible in and of itself) they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening, and asking them questions (2:46). He was a child prodigy because everyone was amazed at this twelve-year-old interacting with such wisdom and knowledge (2:47). When they finally worked through the typical tension of their child creating this huge anxiety in their life, we are told that they went to Nazareth and He was submissive to them, and Mary treasured up all these things in her heart (2:51).

Mary treasured or stored up all these events in her heart and she kept on pondering them. The word ponder means: to keep on giving careful consideration to various implications of an issue.

The art of treasuring those life experiences that we continue to ponder to understand the implications for one’s life seems to be becoming a lost practice. We are so wired around experiences and then moving to the next experience. We want to energize our life and yet it is easy to rush on to the next emotional thrill instead of pausing long enough to value what we have been through.

Mary paid close attention to the events around her and to the words that were spoken. She knew intuitively these were important events and she was not going to let them drift from her mind. She clung to them, pondered them, reflected on the significance of them. She had the wisdom to value these things and keep them close to her heart.

These would serve as anchors for their life. The days ahead of them would turn out to be very challenging. From giving birth in a manger, to fleeing to Egypt, to returning to Nazareth. Their life seemed very unsettled and constantly changing.

These events would serve as a constant reminder of God’s hand on their lives, and they could trust Him moving forward. She did not allow these experiences to get her stuck in the past but gave her confidence for the future. God had a plan for them, and they would continue to pursue it moving forward. Life would not be constant; it had change, challenge, and conflict. But what kept them anchored was the promises of God’s Word and a recognition of His hand on their family.

I hope for you that as you move through the holiday season that the promises of God and the experiences that affirm His hand on your life will keep you centered in a chaotic world.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

Pastor Brad.