A TREASURE FILLED HEART

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

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

Luke 2:19

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

It had been quite a past nine months for Mary. In that time, she:

1. Received a completely unexpected visit from the angel Gabriel, learning she would conceive and have a Son who she was to name Jesus, not by way of a man but the Holy Spirit.

2. Upon learning that her relative Elizabeth was also pregnant, a miracle given that she and her husband, Zechariah, were well beyond child bearing years, she traveled from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea to pay a visit. She ended up staying with Elizabeth for three months.

3. Upon her return home, now visibly with child, she faced the scorn and judgment of the community who assumed she had committed adultery outside of her betrothment to a Nazarene man named Joseph. Even Joseph wrangled with what had happened, considering to divorce Mary quietly before receiving his own personal visit from Gabriel who explained what had taken place before encouraging Joseph to carry on with taking Mary as his wife.

4. In her ninth month of pregnancy, she had to travel with Joseph to Bethlehem in order to register after the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, ordered a census be taken across the entire empire. The arduous trip, which took about a week’s time at the beginning of winter, would have been extremely difficult and exhausting.

5. Upon arriving in Bethlehem to register, she and Joseph ran into an immediate problem. She was near the place where the baby would be ready for birth and there were no rooms available anywhere. Needing shelter, they found it in a stable and it was there that Mary delivered her Son, wrapping Him in cloths and laying him in a manger.

6. No doubt physically and emotionally spent, she didn’t have much time to relax because suddenly a group of shepherds arrived and shared how an angel and company of the Heavenly host had appeared to them while they were tending their flocks by night. They had come to proclaim the birth of the long prophesied Messiah, the Lord of all lords, the very Messiah and Lord they were laying eyes on in the stable.

Did I mention it had been quite a nine month experience for Mary?

No doubt, she sat in the stable and recalled everything that had happened from the beginning to her present moment after the shepherds ran off to tell others what they had witnessed. As she did, the scriptures tell us that she “treasured up all these things”...”in her heart, feeling blessed that she had done as the Lord required while bringing Him, the Savior of all mankind, into the world.  

Later, Jesus would grow into adulthood to fulfill His Father’s plan for His life. During His first formal teaching, He would say this:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

As we look at Mary, we know her heart’s affection and mind’s direction was on the amazing gift God had provided, not just her but anyone who would place their belief in Him. Jesus was her treasure because that’s where her heart was.

Friends, my prayer for all Christian believers as we approach a new year is that we, like Mary, would have treasure-filled hearts, hearts that are totally focused on Jesus. For if we all do this, we can ensure that 2024 is the best year ever for the church and the Gospel work our Savior has called us to.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.