Dave's Diary

After an uncomfortable and very painful journey to Bethlehem, labour was finally behind her and her baby lay snugly wrapped up in the manger. It seemed a strange place for him, but it was the best she could do out here with the animals. At first she had slept like a log, but his first gurgle had woken her. She had fed him, and now she couldn’t sleep. The awe was overwhelming. This was the baby the LORD had promised her, and now he was here. What a huge responsibility lay before her. She was to raise God’s own Son. Her mind was racing! Sleep was a distant memory. Then they arrived.

Daily Reading: Luke 2:13-20

Of all the reactions to the news of Christ’s birth, Mary’s stands out as unique. No one else reacted in the way she did. Some rejoiced. Some were amazed and confused. Some were skeptical. The shepherds glorified and praised God.

¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

When the shepherds left, Mary gave deep consideration and thought to the events that had unfolded, including what the shepherds had told her and Joseph about the angelic announcement and the choir of heavenly hosts! She must have been overwhelmed with awe and wonder as she gazed into the face of her tiny child. And she treated this knowledge as treasure. Like a queen calling for her treasure box and slowly gazing at the beautiful jewelry it holds, picking up pieces and turning them over slowly in her hands to catch the light, Mary treasured the shepherds words and everything else she had experienced in the last nine months and she thought about it often. She did not allow any of it to fade and become a distant memory.

Will we do the same? Will we take time today to ponder the coming of Christ with our own deep sense of awe and wonder? Will we allow ourselves to be distracted from the treasure of His coming, or will we step aside from the busyness of our Christmas preparations today to actually treat Christ as the true Treasure of Christmas. The choice is ours.

Prayer

Abba Father, we rejoice in our annual remembrance of the birth of your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. May we joyfully receive him as our Saviour and Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. May we ponder His coming with great awe and wonder today, and may the Holy Spirit open the eyes of our hearts to fresh revelations of His glory and splendour as we ponder and treasure His coming. Amen.