Ponder This

Sunday, December 24, ‎2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day:  Luke 2: 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Memory verse: Philippians 4:8 ►Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Today's reading: HABAKKUK 1-3 REVELATION 15

Ponder This

The birth of Jesus was in a place where animals were fed and sheltered.

 I grew up a short distance from a barn where we kept livestock fed and sheltered. It was always dusty at best. It smelled of old wood, hay, feed, and animal waste-well, it was a barn.

Years ago, time spent in a third-world country would reveal folks who did not know what they didn't have. Before cell phones and the wide use of television, folks had never seen or heard of the luxuries we enjoy.

We, conversely, are shocked at how little other countries really have. Some of us who started life out really poor remember how it was.

Mary and Joseph had traveled a great distance by foot or donkey because that was their life. She gave birth in the only place she could. When Luke 2:19 says Mary 'pondered' these things in her heart, what do you think it meant?

She was not pondering her poverty-this was their way of life. She was not missing hot water from the faucet because no one had that.

Mary was consumed by the miraculous birth of a child brought by God-shepherds led to them by God and their story of the angel's singing of God's glory in the heavens. She nor anyone else was worried about the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus-she was consumed with the glory of God in the birth of Jesus.

Ponder these things. Think about the glory of the birth of Christ and the reality of the life of a child given so you would never have to die-the wonder of being given the right by God to be called a child of the living God...

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

I complain about way too much-forgive me. I want to glory in You and Your provision for our salvation in Christ Jesus. Thank you Lord!

Sweet God of our lives,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen