“But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19, NKJV
Advent season can be a time to think about and consider the true meaning of Christmas. Traditionally, Advent has become more about counting down the days before December 25th in anticipation of Christmas morning, when Santa has come and gone, leaving behind presents for all. In some families, we light a candle each week, remembering Jesus is the Light of the world bringing with Him Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.
When I think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, she did not have traditions to shed light on what must have felt perplexing, when the angel of God, Gabriel said to her, “Rejoice highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” (Luke 1:28). Every young Jewish woman throughout history leading up to Gabriel’s visit to Mary, aspired to become God’s chosen vessel through which the Messiah would come; however, “aspiring” and becoming are two very different situations. Mary is speculated to have been just a young teenage girl when the Holy Spirit came upon her and she conceived the One who would become the Savior of the world, Jesus. Much can be said about how this moment in time lingered in the mind of Mary. Indeed, we are told, that she “pondered [these things] in her heart.”
In our current culture, where both people and time feel like they move at the speed of light, and where every person seems to be captivated by some demanding electronic device, do human beings even take the time to “ponder” on the thought of much? During this advent season, may I challenge each of us to slow down and give thought to why Jesus entered the world’s physical realm of time and space, when He could have remained in heaven? Perhaps as God chose Mary to deliver Jesus, He chose Jesus to deliver you**…just something to ponder…
**Mary Did you Know? Song by Mark Lowry.