Focus: Lesson From Mary

Text: Lk.2:19,51

"But Mary KEPT all these things, and PONDERED them in her heart...but his mother KEPT all these sayings in her heart."

The heart is at the center of the human personality. Solomon says, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" - Prov.4:23.

The Virgin Mary was a person of the heart. She was wealthy and healthy in the heart because of the content. She kept the right kind of things in her heart, that is, the things of Christ. The word 'keep' in the Greek basically means 'to keep closely together' or 'to arrange things together.' It has a sense of observing, preserving, and keeping safe from ruin. Mary turned her heart into a storeroom for the things of Christ. She kept orderly records.

Also, Mary pondered the things of Christ in her heart. Again, the word 'pondered' in the Greek means literally, to throw together, that is, making connections in her mind of things pertaining to Jesus Christ. She was taking time to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Christ was not only a crisis in her life; He was a puzzle. Christ was one big mystery in her life. Paul talks about "the mystery of Christ" (Col.4:3). Christ was a mystery to Mary from conception to crucifixion and resurrection. It will take eternity for her to untie the knots and piece together the different parts of the puzzle.

In Luke 2:18,19, while the people wondered at the things said by the shepherds about Christ, she pondered them. Yes, the people wondered while she pondered!

In the temple, at the presentation and dedication of Christ, great and deep things were said about Him, and again, Mary kept them in her heart. The word here for 'kept' in the Greek is different from the previous. It means to observe or watch strictly or thoroughly. She was devout, diligent and disciplined in it. Mary was a person of deep reflection, especially as pertaining to Christ. She was thorough and given to detail. Every little detail mattered to her. She saw the connections and meanings.

O, how I pray for us to be like Mary! It is time for us to consider Christ afresh and to reflect deeply on Him. Let us be filled with the awe of Him. Like the Jews, let us wonder at Jesus, and like Mary, let us ponder the things about Him.

Jesus Christ is enough mystery for our hearts as Christians. Receive the mystery of Christ into your heart.

Wonder inspires worship. Revelation stirs up the need for reflection, and reflection on the Lord Jesus Christ deepens and strengthens faith and moral convictions.

Only those who are preoccupied with Christ can effectively occupy for Him. Let us mind the things of Christ and focus on the business of heaven.

Remember that Mary lived with the Apostle John till her death, and I believe he learned so much from her and connected to her depth of knowledge. As you may know, depths connect at the deepest level. Read John's Gospel and his three small epistles and you will see John's spiritual depth. I believe Mary must have played a big role in that. And I also believe that Luke gathered a lot of history lessons from Mary about Christ. And that is because Mary made her heart into one great library filled with 'books' on Christ and arranged in orderly fashion. She knew things and preserved them in the right place - her heart.

I pray for you to be healthy and wealthy at heart by being mindful of Christ and meditative of Him. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter