I love being retired! On Dec. 2, a beautiful clear, crisp sunny Thursday, instead of fighting third graders already crazed by the Christmas season (been there, loved it, done that), I had the privilege of going to a retreat to prepare for the advent season, to take time to look at the Christmas story and to ponder its meaning for today after being retold for over 2000 years.
My main take away was a new look at Mary's response to being chosen as the Messiah's mother. Luke tells us in Luke 2:19 that after Jesus's birth Mary "pondered these things in her heart". That's what we got to do today, ponder the Christmas story in our hearts. That's what I love about Bible study and retreats. Where else do you get to stop the endless onslaught of life and take time to make sense of it, to check if your priorities are in order, to assess your reactions to the life that has been laid before you? (Actually in a life coaching session, but that's another subject:)
Our ponderings will invariably take us to our blessings and our griefs, trying to make sense of the age-old question of why God allows suffering at all and how to respond to it. Today I once again got a glimpse of the answer from the Christmas story. Mary was but one of the many examples in the Bible of one who trusted the Lord in hard times. After all, what could've have been harder than to find out you were pregnant before marriage at a time when that could get you stoned or at the least, sent away in disgrace? But Mary's response in Luke 1:38 was simply, "Be it unto me as you have said."
Shouldn't that be our response to whatever comes our way, be it pain or blessing? For do we deserve any blessing at all? And haven't we been given promises that do make sense of whatever suffering we may be encountering? "All things work together for good." (Romans 8:28) and "Blessed be the God of all comfort who comforts us in our sorrows SO THAT we can comfort others." (2 Cor. 1:3) And another promise from the Christmas story, "Nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)
I pray as I continue to grow older I continue to get better at saying, like Mary, "Be it unto me as you have said," whether this New Year brings pain or blessing. If it brings blessing I hope my first response will be thankfulness and not forgetting where it comes from with an attitude of entitlement that is so easy to fall into. And if it be pain, that I trust that somehow it will be used to the good, even as I look back on past suffering and see how I have grown because of it, or that it can help me understand and comfort another, or simply that I learn better to depend on God because I know He can see me through anything, yes, anything.
I pray this Christmas finds you finding the miracles in the Christmas story, the story that is a miracle in itself because it keeps giving and giving no matter how many times you hear it.
My gift to you is this poem inspired by the Christmas story and the song, Mary Did You Know?
A Christmas Pondering
Mary pondered the things since the angel came
Reflecting down deep in her heart
What all had come to pass -
How could she even start
To understand what had come to her
She the mother of God's son!
How did He come to choose her?
Why was she the chosen one?
This Christmas may we be like Mary,
And ponder our lives deep in our heart,
Though we know on this earth
We will never know more than in part
Why we are chosen for our unique path,
Why we are blessed or not.
Why we have sorrow or joy
Why life is so fraught
With so many questions and hardships
With so many times we want to ask God
Why is this life so confusing
Where is the peace on earth's sod?
But Mary shows us the answer
In her response, "Be it as you have said."
So on this Christmas let us count our blessings
And not allow feelings of dread.
For though we may have pockets of sorrow,
We have the greatest gift of all,
The Christ Child came to save us
There is nothing that can cause us to fall.
So let us gather with loved ones, be merry,
Let us stop and ponder anew
That because of the Christmas story
In perspective earth's sorrows are few.
My main take away was a new look at Mary's response to being chosen as the Messiah's mother. Luke tells us in Luke 2:19 that after Jesus's birth Mary "pondered these things in her heart". That's what we got to do today, ponder the Christmas story in our hearts. That's what I love about Bible study and retreats. Where else do you get to stop the endless onslaught of life and take time to make sense of it, to check if your priorities are in order, to assess your reactions to the life that has been laid before you? (Actually in a life coaching session, but that's another subject:)
Our ponderings will invariably take us to our blessings and our griefs, trying to make sense of the age-old question of why God allows suffering at all and how to respond to it. Today I once again got a glimpse of the answer from the Christmas story. Mary was but one of the many examples in the Bible of one who trusted the Lord in hard times. After all, what could've have been harder than to find out you were pregnant before marriage at a time when that could get you stoned or at the least, sent away in disgrace? But Mary's response in Luke 1:38 was simply, "Be it unto me as you have said."
Shouldn't that be our response to whatever comes our way, be it pain or blessing? For do we deserve any blessing at all? And haven't we been given promises that do make sense of whatever suffering we may be encountering? "All things work together for good." (Romans 8:28) and "Blessed be the God of all comfort who comforts us in our sorrows SO THAT we can comfort others." (2 Cor. 1:3) And another promise from the Christmas story, "Nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)
I pray as I continue to grow older I continue to get better at saying, like Mary, "Be it unto me as you have said," whether this New Year brings pain or blessing. If it brings blessing I hope my first response will be thankfulness and not forgetting where it comes from with an attitude of entitlement that is so easy to fall into. And if it be pain, that I trust that somehow it will be used to the good, even as I look back on past suffering and see how I have grown because of it, or that it can help me understand and comfort another, or simply that I learn better to depend on God because I know He can see me through anything, yes, anything.
I pray this Christmas finds you finding the miracles in the Christmas story, the story that is a miracle in itself because it keeps giving and giving no matter how many times you hear it.
My gift to you is this poem inspired by the Christmas story and the song, Mary Did You Know?
A Christmas Pondering
Mary pondered the things since the angel came
Reflecting down deep in her heart
What all had come to pass -
How could she even start
To understand what had come to her
She the mother of God's son!
How did He come to choose her?
Why was she the chosen one?
This Christmas may we be like Mary,
And ponder our lives deep in our heart,
Though we know on this earth
We will never know more than in part
Why we are chosen for our unique path,
Why we are blessed or not.
Why we have sorrow or joy
Why life is so fraught
With so many questions and hardships
With so many times we want to ask God
Why is this life so confusing
Where is the peace on earth's sod?
But Mary shows us the answer
In her response, "Be it as you have said."
So on this Christmas let us count our blessings
And not allow feelings of dread.
For though we may have pockets of sorrow,
We have the greatest gift of all,
The Christ Child came to save us
There is nothing that can cause us to fall.
So let us gather with loved ones, be merry,
Let us stop and ponder anew
That because of the Christmas story
In perspective earth's sorrows are few.
