Christmas According to Kids Part 2 — Shepherds Knew - Friday
TODAY’S VERSE
Luke 2:18-20
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (ESV)
One of the common things I’ve heard Christians say over the years is something to the extent of, “How did so many people see the miracles of Jesus and not believe?”
And to a certain degree, I totally understand the question. On one hand, I would find it hard to believe that if I were to be an eyewitness to Jesus walking on water that I would ever question His validity again. And yet on the other hand, I’ve witnessed His undeserved faithfulness and miraculous healing power in one moment only to find myself doubting His goodness in the next. Perpetual doubt seems to be a pattern for most of us.
It’s for that reason that I am thankful we have displayed in this story the two options we all have when we follow after Jesus. If you seek after Jesus, you will inevitably bump into Him. You’ll experience His grace, witness His faithfulness, and encounter His great might (either directly or through the life of another). It’s almost impossible to experience any one of those things and not be amazed (He’s just that good), BUT wonder isn’t the same as surrender.
Notice the difference that Luke draws out between “all who heard” and Mary and the shepherds. Everyone was in awe, but only Mary and the shepherds walked away deeply moved and compelled to worship.
APPLICATION
Mary and the shepherds have the right response. The question becomes: what can we do practically to follow their example? There are probably many ways to answer this question, but I’ll stick to our passage for a helpful next step. Verse 19 reads, “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Much speculation could be made about what “pondering them in her heart" looked like practically, but at a bare minimum, it’s safe to say that Mary was meditating on what God had done.
Psalm 143:5 reads, "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands" and you could find MANY others that share the same sentiment (Psalm 77:11-12, Psalm 145:5, Psalm 119:15, and so on). The invitation of Scripture is clear; the words and deeds of our Heavenly Father are not meant to just be heard, they are intended to be carried with us throughout our days. And we can do that through the practice of remembering/meditating.
As we head into the weekend, I want to invite you to set aside 15 minutes in the next few days to reflect on all that God has done in your life this week. It could be major things or really small things. Regardless, take time to meditate on His activity and to give Him thanks.
PRAYER
Father, thank you for your never-ending work in our lives. May we never lose sight of your presence with us.