I am so happy that I get to take one more stab at preaching on this Christmas story, because there has been one aspect that has been constantly poking me in the side, like a mysterious child’s finger, begging me to look down and pay closer attention. It all has to do with Mary and her “pondering.” What exactly is this pondering all about? What depths of understanding has God given to the mother of the Messiah?
But, before we take a closer look at this pondering, I would just like to point out that it is Mary who God decides to draw into this holy mystery. The Bible says that Joseph, the head of the household, is right there on the scene. “So [the shepherds] went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.” He is there, but he seems to serve the role of set dressing; a nice background image supporting the important things in this spotlight. Who is in this spotlight? Mary. And, anytime that the Bible places a woman in front of our eyes it is our cue to stop and take a closer look.
You see, women did not get the attention and respect in the ancient world that they do in modern times. I know it could be much better even today, but back then women were often the set dressing. They were the ones in the background of the story, making it look nice.
But, God is not interested in keeping certain people in the background. God is not interested in keeping anyone pushed down or out of the way. We have already heard that God “lifts up the lowly” and “throws down rulers from their thrones.” We are all God’s creation after-all. God can choose any of us as a servant. And, God does.
When God wants to get an ancient person’s attention, God raises up and places right in front of our eyes someone who we may not expect. We take notice because the young woman, Mary is in the spotlight.
And, this young Mary is “pondering” things. In the ancient world, it was a man’s job to ponder things. It was his job to study the revelations of God and debate what the Lord was up to. It was he who went to the synagogue to discuss and argue about the wisdom of the Lord. But, Mary is the one doing the “pondering” in her heart here. And, in case a picture of Mary has jumped into your mind that has her quietly sitting in the hay, holding Jesus close as she peacefully studies her child, it is time to erase that picture. Take the eraser and allow that sort of passive pondering to be wiped clean so that you can see what the Bible says is really going on.
The word for “ponder” here actually means “putting all the pieces together.” It is what you do when the Lord has caused a whole bunch of things to happen to you, and you need to sort it all out and figure out what it all means. Most young couples have more than enough of this sort of thing to put together. They have the gift of their child. They have the gift of this new thing called a family. They have the gift of new priorities in life and hard decisions of what and who they need to keep in their lives and what and who they need to let go. Not to mention, figuring out how to raise this thing called a baby. There are a lot of pieces to put together for a normal parent.
Mary had all of that to figure out and more! Mary’s pieces also included having an angel sent to her, a lowly, young woman from nowhere, telling her that she is “favored.” “Favored,” what does that mean?
Her pieces included an angelic message which tells her that she will raise the Messiah, the savior of the world, whose kingdom will have no end. Why her? How do you even raise a Messiah?
Her pieces include trying to figure out this world that the Lord desires to create where the lowly are lifted and the high are brought down.
Her pieces include having strangers, lowly shepherds from the fields, coming, telling stories of angelical visitors and heavenly choruses singing songs from heaven. The Shepherds reiterate to her all of the insights about her child being the Messiah that she has heard before, but it is always good to hear it again and again and again, just to let it sink in. There is a lot here for Mary to know.
The popular song questions, “Mary did you know?” but we see here that Mary knew. This disciple of God just had to take the time to put together all the pieces.
That is what disciples do. Disciples attempt to take what has been handed them by God and put together all the pieces. We take all that we have been granted to know about God and life, and we try to put together the pieces. Disciples do not necessarily know all the answers to God and life and what it all means, but disciples do take the time to try to put together all the pieces. I know that you do.
You come to me and ask, “What is God doing with my child’s life? You know the goodness of Jesus and see your child struggling and you try to put together all the pieces. You come to me and ask, “What is this illness all about?” You know the healing that Jesus holds and you see the illness intruding on life and you try to put together all the pieces. You come to me and ask, “Why did this happen to me?” You know that Jesus does not forget you, but you do not understand why and you try to put together all the pieces.
The Bible says that Mary worked to put together all the pieces of these things in her heart. Remember that in the ancient world, the heart was the mind, and the gut was the center of emotions. So, this is real, mind bending work that is going on here that Mary held very close as she gnawed on the implications.
Notice that the story never says that Mary came to any conclusions.
I take comfort in that, actually. Because, I am not certain that I really ever come to any conclusions as I try to put all the pieces together. Intriguing insights? Yes. Momentary flashes of God’s glory. Yes. Impulses of God’s love, Of course. Visions of the Lord’s hopes and dreams for our world. Indeed! But, hard and fast answers and conclusions? I am sorry. Like they were for Mary, the answers are elusive.
So, what do you do when you try to put together all the pieces and come up short? What do you do when you try to understand, and only find more questions? What do disciples of Jesus Christ do when they have been given glimpses and brief insights, but cannot quite put it all together? What did Mary do?
Well, the Bible indicates that Mary trusted God. She trusted in what she did know. The Bible says that “After eight days had passed,” and when “it was time to circumcise the child;” she took her child as was custom and she made certain that “he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.”
Faith is not having all the answers. Faith is not being certain in this life. Faith is not certainty.
Faith is trusting in the Lord. Faith is stepping forward into a life of raising a Messiah, even if you have no idea how to raise a Messiah. Faith is naming the savior of the world, even if you do not know exactly what part you play in shaping a savior. Faith is trusting that the Lord has chosen the right person, even if you do not feel like the right person. Faith is trusting that God knows what God is doing, even if you have not quite put it all together. Faith is stepping toward a fate which leads to the cross, even if you do not understand how a cross can save the world. Faith is trusting that God is a God of life, and that God is able to overcome all of our struggles and even death itself. Faith is trying to put together all the pieces, and trusting where the Lord leads.
Maybe, just maybe, you can trust in the name of Jesus which means, “the Lord is salvation.” Maybe, just maybe we can treasure all this, and it will lead us toward a life of trust in the Lord, and salvation, and eternal peace in Jesus’ name.
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