Pondering Christmas

This weekend I will take time to unpack the phrase – Pondering Christmas. Scripture says, “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)  I ask, what was she pondering? Was she thinking about the fact that her baby was Jesus, the King of the world? Was she thinking about the unique group of people who stood around her as she held the Christ child? Was she pondering that the Messiah had finally arrived after years of prophecy and waiting?

There is always something to ponder at Christmas. What is new in your life that was unexpected? What is a huge blessing that God has given you this year? What is the prayer you are waiting on Jesus to answer? Like Mary, we are all pondering something this year.

Christmas brings us back to the moment the world changed, with the birth of this one child. In “On The Move” this week we took time to ponder Christ’s humanity. His humanity is what made this a reality. He came to this earth as a human to fulfill what we could not do. There is a lot to ponder about how He balanced being a 100% God and 100% man. As we reflected last week, we cannot understand the wisdom of God. Joseph certainly learned that all human logic could not explain what was about to happen – what God had in store for him.

Every week I take time to ponder Scripture. I ponder it personally, and then I ponder it for the congregation. I ponder what I will blog about and how to communicate this week’s Word through a sermon. Usually in this blog I lead you down my pondering path, but Christmas has so much to ponder. Each of you are in a different place than you were last year. The same story can hit you much differently this year. Take time to ponder this Christmas. Ponder your relationships. Ponder your family. Ponder what is going on around you. Ponder our world, and come back to ponder the Christ child in a manger. As a kid, I waited and waited for Christmas, as an adult it moves all too fast. Mary was pondering what God was doing. Nothing has changed. Jesus is still working in each of our lives. Take time to ponder the work of Jesus in your life, and ponder what is next for you.

Merry Christmas!