When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:17-19 NIV
From the moment Gabriel appeared, through the nine months of pregnancy that followed, Mary had a lot of time to ponder. What would it be like to parent the Son of God? Why had God chosen her? She must have tried to bring back to memory every prophecy she had ever heard regarding the Messiah. Then after the long journey to Bethlehem, the night finally arrived. In all her pondering, I’d guess Mary never imagined she would be laying her newborn baby in a manger, yet so many things were out of her control. Soon after giving birth, strangers arrived, shepherds from the nearby fields, sent there by multitudes of angels, proclaiming that her newborn baby, God’s promised Messiah, would bring joy to all people. She heard their words and she stored them in her heart, bringing them back to memory often so she could think through them and gain understanding.
The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Luke 2:33-35
Mary marveled at what was spoken about her son; some of the words were wonderful and encouraging, words that any mother would want to hear, but some, like the words of Simeon, were difficult to understand and quite unsettling. Just like you and I, Mary had to ponder and pray to understand God’s plan for her life, not only at the birth of Jesus, but all throughout his childhood.
Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. Luke 2:47-51 NIV
After frantically searching for Jesus three days, Mary and Joseph found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers. Mary was upset that Jesus had gone missing, after all, he was only 12 years old, and she was confused by his response. She struggled to understand what he was saying, so what did she do? She treasured his words in her heart and kept pondering.
God had selected Mary to fill a very important role; her calling was unique and very special, yet her understanding was often revealed just one day at a time. She was wise to treasure each revelation in her heart and think about each one, pondering and seeking God day by day. It’s good to want to understand God’s will for our lives, and it’s natural to want to see the whole plan mapped out ahead of time, but that’s just not the way God works. He reveals things to us little by little, like a puzzle being assembled one piece at a time. In Mary’s case, she had no way of seeing the whole picture until the last piece of the puzzle was revealed at the resurrection, and even then, with all her pondering, I’m sure she still had questions.
We are wise to ponder and to wait on God for wisdom and direction, seeking and trusting Him as He guides us through our life journey. We gain more understanding every time we treasure in our hearts, His words and the things He shows us, not allowing them to be quickly forgotten, but taking the time to think them through thoroughly. Our calling may not be as monumental as Mary’s, but it is no less important to God. He will reveal His plan to you, like He did to Mary, one revelation at a time, until you complete your course and stand in His presence. Then, and only then, you will finally see everything clearly.
We live in a “microwave” fast paced world where information is readily available with as little effort as it takes to do a quick Google search. We can learn a lot from Mary and her patience to ponder.
Don’t be discouraged if you can’t see the whole picture or struggle to discover the details of God’s plan for your life. Just keep walking with the Lord, trusting His plan will unfold in His time and believe that He is driving the process. And like Mary, take the time to ponder everything you see and hear.