Let's Ponder These Things Too

One of the biggest tragedies of this time of year is how busy people become. If they do think of Christ at all, it's just for an hour at church on Christmas Eve.

We read in the gospels how Mary pondered the supernatural things done in her and through her. Luke 2:19 (BBE) shows that she kept mulling over all the events of Christ's birth in her mind. "But Mary kept all these words in her heart, and gave much thought to them."

Certainly the prophecies she heard made her wonder how they would play out. We read in Luke 1:30-33 (BBE), "And the angel said to her, 'Have no fear, Mary, for you have God's approval. And see, you will give birth to a son, and his name will be Jesus. He will be great, and will be named the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his father: He will have rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.'"

A man also prophesied of Christ to Mary in Luke 2:34 and 35 (BBE). "And Simeon gave them his blessing and said to Mary, his mother, 'See, this child will be the cause of the downfall and the lifting up of great numbers of people in Israel, and he will be a sign against which hard words will be said; (And a sword will go through your heart;) so that the secret thoughts of men may come to light.'"

But Simeon wasn't the only one speaking God's words to those in the temple. Luke 2:36-38 (BBE) reads, "And there was one, Anna, a woman prophet, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Asher (she was very old, and after seven years of married life She had been a widow for eighty-four years); she was in the Temple at all times, worshipping with prayers and going without food, night and day. And coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, talking of him to all those who were waiting for the freeing of Jerusalem."

The prophecies from Simeon came to pass in Christ's life. Mary herself saw her firstborn rejected by Israel and crucified. John 19:25-27 (BBE)describes the scene.  "Now by the side of the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple who was dear to him, he said to his mother, 'Mother, there is your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'There is your mother!' And from that hour the disciple took her to his house."

This shows us the importance of those scriptures quoted in Christmas pageants each year. By pausing and analyzing them, we gain more from the words.

I'll be writing about the certainty of prophecies in You Think You're Going to Heaven? Our faith isn't based on wishful thinking and hopes based on our desires for happiness. Scripture is God's Word.

On Thursday, I'll post about the arrival of Israel's Holy One.