Shortgrass
Well-known member
Saturday will be Christmas, 2010. Often as I read the Christmas story, one verse that grabs my attention is "Mary kept these things and pondered them in her heart." I wonder what would have gone through this woman's mind. She was indeed blest above all women. This great blessing was not without difficulty. Her cousin, Elizabeth, was excited for her, and that would have been the end of her support group. Even Joseph did not believe her story until an angel appeared to him. Now she had two people supporting her. Late in her pregnancy, word came that Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem. She would need to go along. When they left Nazareth, they undoubtedly knew that the child would be delivered before they could return. Somewhere along the way, she would deliver. That would be sort of inconvenient. That would be downright difficult! Sometimes we think, as we serve God, everything will just fall into place, and that difficulties must mean that this is not His will. Mary's experience will tell us otherwise. After they could find no room in the inn, the stable proved to be a great blessing. The stable offered privacy. The inns of the time were open bay areas that housed several families. After Mary delivered, I'll bet she was exhausted. They wrapped the baby in cloths, and I suspect Mary and Joseph may well have been nodding off when in burst the ecstatic shepherds. They told of how an angel had appeared to them, and I'll bet Mary was excited, as she knew all about a visit from the angel, and so did Joseph. What do you think was running through Mary's mind? What things would lie ahead for her Son? I'll bet she never ever envisioned the cross. Her difficult days had only begun, and yet she has been blest above all women. I see two good lessons. First, sometimes it is inconvenient and downright difficult to do God's will. The second great lesson is that God will provide the strength and encouragement we need to get through our times of exhaustion and discouragement. As the hymn states, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Have a good Sunday mornin' and a very Merry Christmas!
