Mary Pondering These Things - Luke 2:19

Luke the physician wrote how an angel and a heavenly host appeared to shepherds to tell them of the Messiah's birth, and “as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds”, and in chapter two and verse nineteen of his book Luke shares how, “Mary kept all these things, and pondered them” where we read:

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

The verse reads, “But Mary kept all these things, ...” Luke began with the words, “but Mary” or “however, nevertheless, nonetheless, moreover and Mary who was the mother of Jesus whose name means their rebellion” “kept all these things” which means “mentally preserved each, every, the whole and everyone of the events surrounding her Son Jesus' birth”. Luke shared how “Mary” “preserved” every one of the sayings and events surrounding the birth of her Son Jesus.

The verse goes on to say, “... and pondered them in her heart.” Luke continued with the words, “and pondered them” which means “and conversed, consulted, considered, conferred and thought carefully through each and everyone of the events surrounding her Son Jesus' birth” “in her heart” or “within Mary's own soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes and endeavors”. Luke shared how “Mary” “inwardly consulted with herself and thought carefully through” all the events surrounding her Son Jesus' birth.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how “Mary” responded to all the events she experienced with the birth of her firstborn Son. “Mary” was visited by the angel Gabriel, filled with God's Spirit when she announced her pregnancy to her cousin Elisabeth, traveled to Bethlehem because of the mandated census, birthed her Son Jesus in a barn and lay Him in a manger and was visited by shepherds who were told the “Savior” was born who afterward broadcast His birth to people all around them. God's plan involved “Mary” “pondering” all these things, and as a person considers all that has been provided for the forgiveness of their sins and the provision for everlasting life with God, the best response is to yield their lives to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” and “keep” and “ponder” all that God has done so they might be saved. .

Next time Luke shares how, “the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".