Friends
Do you have a favorite Christmas song? I have lots of them. See if you can figure out which one I am humming today!
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“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19 – NIV
Mary, did you know? What were you thinking as you clung to the back of that donkey, the chilly wind rippling through the folds of your woolen cloak? Were you offering up patient petitions for help, or were you questioning, as I would have been, the necessity of this journey? Every pound of that donkey’s hoof must have jarred your swollen belly. Your shoulders must have ached as you clung to the reins. Did you weather it all with patient grace, or did you respond as I would have by asking God about the wisdom of this plan of His?
what was it like, Mary, when the humble town of Bethlehem finally came into view? Did you lift up a prayer of thanks, letting your breath flow out in a sigh of relief? Were the contractions already squeezing your belly as Joseph helped you off the donkey near the doorstep of the inn? Were you waiting with bated breath, heart in your throat, as you watched Joseph raise his fist to rap on the door?
As you stood there in the moonlight, pain searing through your abdomen, did your heart plummet to the depths when you heard the innkeeper say, “I’m sorry, but we have no room”? Did your mind race, your fingers tremble, as you wondered what in the world the two of you were going to do now?
What did you think when the innkeeper offered you the stable? I know I would have grumbled, at least internally, mumbling something like, “Really? Is this how this is gonna be?” I would have questioned God in that moment, but somehow, Mary, I think you accepted the situation with a grace I couldn’t have mustered.
I imagine that bed of straw felt good, Joseph’s cloak wrapped around you for warmth. At least you were finally out of the wind, and the heat from the sheltering animals must have been comforting. Still, I bet you were wracked with fear when your labor pains stepped up their pace. There was nobody to help you save Joseph, no mother at your side, no midwife to coach you through it. You were so young, so unprepared, so alone. Oh, Mary, were you afraid?
Mary, what was it like when you finally held your baby boy in your arms? Did you stare into his bright eyes and wonder not only who he was, but also who he would become? Did your fingertips caress his tender cheek, stroke his tiny nose? Did you count his fingers, then his toes? When you cradled his tiny hand in your palm, did you know that very hand would one day heal a blind man? Did you know then that he would silence a storm with those hands?**
Did you hold his little foot and wonder where those feet would take him? Did you know then that he would one day walk on water? Did you have any inkling that he had come to save our sons and daughters? As he kicked beneath his covers, did you know those tender feet had walked where angels trod? Did you know when you kissed your little baby boy, you kissed the face of God? Oh, Mary, did you Know?**
I don’t know what you knew, but Mary, I know what you did. I know you were young, confused, and afraid. Still, you trusted God anyway. You embraced the mystery. You did not require understanding before submitting to God’s will for your life. Your circumstances were hard, and certainly confusing, but you demonstrated a trust that few of us could muster. You turned from fear, toward faith, choosing to believe in God’s Promises. You embraced the mystery, and that made all the difference.
Oh mary, I cannot fully fathom what you faced, but I can clearly see your grace. Somehow, you knew that the child that you delivered would soon deliver you, and centuries later, me, and so many more. Oh, Mary, how did you know?
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“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1 – NKJV
PRAYER
O Loving God, as we draw near to Christmas, we give thanks for the testimony of Mary, and of Joseph, who both stood on Your promises even when they did not understand. As we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child, help us to stand on Your promises and trust in Your plans, even when it’s hard, even when we don’t understand. Help us to embrace the mystery, welcoming Jesus into our hearts and homes, that we might follow where He leads.
In the Glorious Name of Jesus, we pray,
Amen
Christmas Blessings,
Anita
**Portions of the lyrics from the song, “Mary, Did You Know,” written by Mark Lowry, 1985, have been paraphrased throughout this message.
-APS 12/23/2024
Faith Beyond Sight 