Morning Moments

Luk 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Let's look at a couple of words regarding this text:

1. Kept (συνετήρει)
See on the simple verb τηρέω, on 1Pe_1:4. The word signifies not merely to guard, but to keep, as the result of guarding. Hence the compound verb is very expressive: kept, σύν, with or within herself: closely. Note the imperfect tense: was keeping all the while. (Vines Word Study)

2.Pondered (συμβάλλουσα)
The present participle, pondering. Lit., bringing together: comparing and weighing facts. Wyc., bearing together in her heart. Vulg., conferens. Compare Sophocles, “Oedipus Coloneus,” 1472-4.
“Oedipus. My children, the heaven-ordained end of life has come upon him who stands here, and there is no avoiding it.
“Antigone. How dost thou know, and with what (fact) having compared (συμβαλὼν) thine opinion hast thou this ?” (Vines Word Study)

No one can adequately explain what was happening to Mary through all this time, but one thing we DO KNOW is that she, in her heart of hearts, continued carefully guarding the reality of the presence, power, and promises that God gave her. She evaluated everything she experienced by the word spoken to her by the angel Gabriel.

We are told in Scripture to "keep or guard our heart with all diligence". God is not merely about the head, He is after the heart. It is from there that the issues of life come. It is from there that the mouth speaks.

Mary's thinking and feelings were subjected to her spirit and that is how it is to be with us. She was constantly "meditating" in the word from God day and night. Is it too much to ask of us?

What is it that dominates our lives? Is it the God conscious part of us or the self-conscious part of us? Is it all about the way we think and feel or all about how HE thinks and feels? How prone we are to forget what God has said to us! How we tend to allow precious truth to be twisted or forgotten because our thoughts and feelings are selfish.

Mary had a constant reminder of God's word to her by the moving of a baby within her womb. We ought to have a constant reminder of His word to us by the moving of the Spirit in our hearts.

This Christmas season, let's not be so caught up by "gifts", whether giving or receiving, but let's get "caught up" with the GIFT of life Mary carried in her so that we may now have THAT GIFT in our hearts.

BLESSINGS!