Mary Pondered These Things In Her Heart

Mary did you know…when you kiss your little baby, you kissed the face of God? 

Mary was visited by an angel and told that she would be the mother to the Savior.  She was going to bear a son-a son that would live a perfect life and then die on the cross.  She held her savior in her arms.  She rocked him to sleep and fed him when he was hungry.  I can only imagine what Mary must have felt.  Mary knew her son was God, but I don’t think she knew all that that would entail-the endless joy and grief that would bring.

“When (the shepherds) had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told the about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Mary didn’t have a camera to capture Jesus’ first days, steps, or smiles, but I’m sure she remembered them all.  I see babies born everyday at work, and every experience is different.  But one thing is the same-the look of wonder and joy on a new parent’s face when they look at their baby.  I went in to check on a patient the other day and found her just looking at her daughter like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.  Imagine Mary in that situation.  She was holding her first son, and she was holding God.  She was literally looking at the only thing in the world that mattered.

There’s a song that I like called Be Born in Me sung by Francesca Battistilli.  In it there’s the line  “I’ll hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end.”  When Jesus was born Mary held him and comforted him.  When Mary died she went home to be with her Savior and I’m sure he held her as she had once held him.  I can’t imagine the joy Mary felt when her son was born.  I can’t imagine the grief she felt when he was killed.

Mary had been told by an angel that this was what she had been called by God to do.  She must have felt fear and experienced ridicule (because who on earth would have believed her.)  She must have felt joy and awe, wonder and confusion.  But despite all of this she accepted God’s will, no matter how hard. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”  It’s hard to wait on God’s timing.  Sometimes it’s hard to do what he is calling us to, or to do what we know he wants.  But in the end, it’s all worth it.