Pondering – 40 Days of Holiday Encouragement

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.  Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart”. – Luke 2:13-19

Mary pondered.

Ponder. The word means to weigh heavily. To consider and compare the gravity of something. When the shepherds travel to welcome the Christ babe they give Mary and Joseph the news they were sent by God. Can you imagine? I wonder if she is reminded of Gabriel’s visit to her -encouragement must be off the charts with yet another confirmation of God’s plans unfolding.

Pondering calms the heart, eases our fears and inspires our soul. It’s the place where peace and encouragement meet Him face to face.

Pondering – I’m not sure we do enough of that anymore. 

Turn off the TV. Silence your iPhone. Close your laptop. Grab a cup of coffee or choose your favorite mug of tea and sit for a while. Take time today to ponder what God has done for you in 2013- Ponder His faithfulness. Ponder His peace and trust as Mary did that His plans are unfolding before our very eyes.