Ponder.

“But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” -Luke 2:19

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. So many places in the Bible seem so removed and report-like. Sometimes it’s hard for me to remember that the people in the pages were actually people who have emotions, laughed, and have similar struggles as me. It’s hard for me to think of them as people rather than characters sometimes.

Luke reported this and as a doctor, he was probably pretty facts based. Yet, he found it necessary to include this sentence. To give a glimpse into the life of someone who had a front stage seat to the craziest event on this planet. Someone who realized that what was happening was not normal, that it would change the world without the world noticing. Yet she noticed. And she pondered and she treasured.

Life gets so busy that  I struggle to ponder and treasure. It’s Good Friday and I struggle to pull myself from the ordinary everyday things to remember it is the anniversary of the most significant weekend in history. I’m just not feeling it. How can I be so disconnected?

How can I not realize how absolutely crazy the Christmas and Easter stories are? Why would a king of the universe come to earth in the form of the lesser being he created? Why would he put up with not getting what he deserves when he could demand and get it in an instant? How could we not recognize and praise him? How could all these things happen and he still stayed true to his promises? How could we take him for granted and he still saves us? How could he be so humble yet so glorious?

How do  I remember and feel this paradox on a daily basis? How do I ponder and treasure the greatness of this absurd but glorious story? Take some time today to be still and ponder the greatness of this story. And treasure it.

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” -Luke 2:29-32