Ponder

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19

The word “ponder” in this verse means something quite unexpected. Its fascinating definition isn’t the usual way we tend to translate it:  to weigh, or to consider, or meditate on. No… in this context, ponder means to “throw together,” “to testify jointly,” “to confer,” “to corroborate by evidence,” or “to bear witness with.”

So… let’s insert a couple of these phrases into the verse and reread it with fresh eyes of understanding. But Mary treasured up all these things and bore witness with them, or conferred with them in her heart.

“These things” were the happenings the angel had spoken to the shepherds who then went to witness the scene at the birth of Jesus. Ponder with me:  an angel announces a message of good news and great joy to some shepherds… a group of angels appeared to them singing praises to God… a Savior has been born…He is the Christ… the shepherds went to see what had happened! Mary and Joseph, along with the shepherds, shared the rare occurrence of having an angel speak to them. Their story was validated.  

Mary experienced first-hand the Son of God becoming incarnate. She allowed her heart to be counseled by the astonishing events of her son’s birth so that she would never respond to life the same way again.

Pondering Christmas can be your adventure. Be still before the Lord while you lay awake during the night or while you’re driving to work. Allow the amazing happenings of Christ’s birth to speak and testify to your heart God’s life-altering provision accomplished for you!

Could Mary be our example that pondering “these things”—the incredulous events surrounding the birth of Jesus—bears witness with our hearts, and transforms our lives?

We have the holy scriptures to “throw together” the wonders of the first Christmas in our spirits. Will we?

Lord, May I treasure Your Word and allow it to testify and counsel together in my heart as Mary did.

Karen Sims