But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
Motherhood is characterized by patient waiting. Raising children, after all, requires consistent, daily investment and takes years and years to complete. When my husband and I started having children, we identified several key goals for raising our kids that fit our overall family ethos. This exercise helped us to remain focused on the important and to disregard the unimportant, but “accomplishing” the goals was no joke. Furthermore, as a mom, I believed (and still do) that our family “goals” were secondary to God’s desire: bringing his will, utterly hidden to us, forward in each child’s life.
Mary was raising the Messiah, and though he was perfect, I imagine the pressure of being his mother was no small burden. It is no wonder that she treasured and pondered the days surrounding Jesus’ birth in her heart. The miracle of Christ’s birth must have guided Mary for many years: visits from angels, the excitement of the shepherds, her miraculous virgin birth. When she was raising the Christ child, she remembered the hope of that night. When he was raised on the cross, she would remember the promise that he is king. When he was raised from the dead, her hope was fulfilled.
We must similarly treasure the promise of Christ in our hearts. The reality of his birth and resurrection point to the promise of his second coming.
Treasure the hope of Christ, his redeeming work, and his assured return.
Dalene Rovenstine Fisher is a wife and mother. She serves as the dean of arts and sciences at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
