All through the Scriptures the Lord often reminds people to take time to remember. We need to remember what Jesus has done for us because we often forget. what I have done for you. Here are a couple “remember” verses:
2 Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.[1] Deut. 8:2.
On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”[2] 1 Cor. 11:23-24
Why does the Lord want us to remember? As people we soon forget what God has done for us and begin to take Him for granted. It doesn’t take special effort to forget, we do that naturally. We remember what God has done as we take time to be thankful. We need to remember that we are children of the King no matter our station or circumstance in life. As we look at the character of Mary in our story, it says she often took time to remember and to ponder what God had done. The word “ponder” means to seek out with care, to search after, to inquire, and to examine.
How was Mary’s life different because she took time to remember? 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. [3] Luke 2:15-20
The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:8, “ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”[4]
Isn’t Mary doing what Paul wrote about years later? We live a very negative world and when we focus on those things, it drags us down. How would thinking about good things change your life and impact those around you? Take time today to meditate on the words of Philippians 4:8 and be thankful for the Lord sending Jesus into the world. Merry Christmas!
Listen to a conversation about the Christmas story: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/series/god-steps-into-time/the-gift-of-jesus
[1, 2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Dt 8:21, 1 Co. 11:23-24). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[3, 4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Lk 2:15–20, Php 4:8). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.