But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart – Luke 2:19

Mary often gets overlooked. This woman chosen by God to bear the Savior of the World and nurture him to adulthood barely gets more than a nod at Christmastime by many people. Of all the women throughout history, she is the one chosen by God to be the means by which Christ enters the world. What an amazing indicator of her availability to God and her willingness to be faithful.

There are many things we can learn from Mary, but one of the facets of her life that profoundly speaks to me and my life is this simple quote from Luke. Here, in the midst of all of the busyness around her that included crowds, a noisy stable, her new child, and shepherds declaring God’s revelation to them, Mary takes it all in, holds on to these things as treasures, and ponders them in her heart. What a great message at Christmas and what a wonderful lesson for life.

The holiday season is always busy, sometimes far too busy. It is easy to get lost in the multitude of tasks and commitments that come this time of year. There is the list of family traditions that simply must be maintained, while new requirements and expectations are created. Work continues, and even includes more responsibility with year-end paperwork, planning for 2012, and more meetings and parties than any other time. In the midst of all of these activities, the other aspects of life continue. Things need repaired, bills must be paid and personal challenges still exist. All of these expectations and this activity can seem overwhelming at times.

The well-know psychologist Carl Jung once said, “Hurry is not of the devil, hurry is the devil.” Profound words that speak to our lifestyle, not only at Christmas, but at all times. We fill our lives with activity and busyness, all the while edging out the time for reflection and meditation. We become so busy living our life, that we lose the time to appreciate it in the process.

Here is where we need the heart and attitude of Mary. Sometimes, we simply need to stop, take in what is happening in our life and ponder it quietly with God. Like Jesus, who would take time to go to the mountainside to pray, we need time to bring our life before God and receive God’s direction for our next steps. We need the Holy Spirit to help us mine the treasures out of our daily experience so that we can see the holy treasures that surround us.

This morning, as I write this, I am facing a task that I do not want to do. I know it will take more time than I want and require a significant amount of mental and emotional energy to complete. My thoughts keep becoming caught up as I ponder the task and my desire to procrastinate. Yet, I am aware that as I actively ponder this task, I am missing numerous treasures that surround me.

Today will be what it will be, and what needs to be done, must be done, but I do not need to surrender my blessing in the process. Just as Mary found a way to hold fast to the blessing of God in the midst of her experience, I too can open my eyes to God’s gifts in this moment. We all can, and that is the real beauty of our relationship with God. At any moment, we can look with God’s eyes and see the treasures that surround us.

Here are just a few I am savoring this morning. Maybe, they will inspire you to find something similar in you day as well:

• The sunshine flooding the room on this crisp winter day
• The warmth of my home, both physically and emotionally
• My family and the love we share with one another
• The quietness of this moment
• My friends who bring richness to my life
• The coffee and bagel that nourished me this morning and tasted so good
• The Scripture and words of life it spoke to me as I read it earlier
• The presence of God calming my spirit and empowering me for the day ahead
• The knowledge and hope that I can do all things through Christ
• The joy that comes from knowing that I am a friend of God

Even as I write this list, I see more reasons to treasure this day. May you find them in your life as well and ponder them in your heart, and may the true spirit of Christmas bring life to your spirit and your busy schedule as well.

The post Reasons to Treasure appeared first on Thinking Faith Cafe.

In one of his more challenging questions, Jesus asked his disciples, “But what about you? Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29) It was a very pointed question and Jesus was not looking for them to parrot back what he previously told them. He wanted to know who they truly believed he was, because that belief would shape their future understanding and their actions. Their beliefs about Jesus would affect their relationship with Jesus, and that would make all the difference.

The question was not just for the disciples. It is an important question for the followers of Christ today as well. How we answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” will affect our relationship with him and with his Gospel. In turn, it will shape our journey of faith, our ministry with others and ultimately, our destiny.

Last Sunday, our Minister of College Ministries preached a sermon on this question and I continue to reflect on it. Who do I really believe Jesus is? The issue is not what did my parents teach me to believe, nor is it what was I told in Sunday School or even seminary. The question is, who has the Holy Spirit revealed Jesus Christ to be through the Scripture and through my relationship with him.

In response, I could simply quote a creed, or offer up the “official” answer to the question and, while these would be fine and meaningful responses. I would like to offer my response from another source of ancient words that speaks volumes. In this simple, yet profound Celtic prayer is a declaration of who Jesus is that resonates deeply in me. It does not replace the classical response that, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Instead, it builds on this truth and gives room to ponder the greatness of Christ in every facet of our lives. May these words bless you as they continue to bless me.

You are the peace of all things calm
You are the place to hide from harm
You are the light that shines in dark
You are the heart’s eternal spark
You are the door that’s open wide
You are the guest who waits inside
You are the stranger at the door
You are the calling of the poor
You are my Lord and with me from ill
You are the light, the truth, the way
You are my Saviour this very day.

Celtic oral tradition – 1st millennium

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The psalmist wrote:

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me, even at night my heart instructs me. (Ps. 16:7)

When we orient our hearts toward the praise of God, and when we seek and receive the counsel of God, then even in the night our heart will lead us to a deeper understanding of God and his direction for our lives. Our active attention to the Lord makes the way for even the hours of rest to become moments of growth with God.

Recently, I was confined to the sofa for a while to keep my leg elevated due to a serious infection in the skin. My wife was busy caring for our son who was injured at work, so there was plenty of time by myself. I used that time to read some books on the Bible and foundational theology, to meditate on some Scripture and to enjoy some worship music I recently purchased. After just a few days, I found that I would awaken in the middle of the night with a praise song on my lips or a word of Scripture in my head. The time spent saturating myself in God during the day, led to praise even in the wee hours of the morning.

More importantly, God began to use the words I listened to and read, to speak to me about important issues in my life. Even as David once prayed, “search me and know me, O God,” the Word of the Lord began to search my heart. Many things I needed to see were revealed. Some were very comforting, while others were quite challenging, but all were meaningful and necessary.

When we make time through conscious effort to place our attention on God, and when we saturate ourselves in the truth of his Word, then our quiet moments can become times of great revelation, instruction and encouragement. The things we actively took in begin to bear fruit, unfolding the truth of God before us. Yes, we learn and grow during our active study and meditation, but when we fill our spirits with the things of God, even the passive moments can be full of revelation.

As you walk through this day, may your eyes and ears be open, and your spirit receptive to all that God is doing around you. May you actively seek God and soak in his truth. And tonight, while you rest, may the Holy Spirit speak to you through all that you have seen and heard that you may draw closer to God, know his great love for you, and discover more of the destiny he has in store for your future.

Be blessed in the day, and in the night.

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The past two weeks, I was forced to stop, rest and reflect due to a significant infection in my leg from a black fly bite. It was not what I wanted, but it turns out, it was exactly what I needed. I spent a significant amount of time on the sofa with my leg up. It was painful to walk, and my family had a number of things happening in their lives, so I was there alone with God. In that quiet time, I could hear the still, small voice renewing me and speaking new life to my spirit.

A friend of mine often says, “remember, God never wastes a hurt.” He is not suggesting that God causes hurts, but that God is the one with the power to redeem even the hurtful places of our lives. In our pain, our challenges and our frustrations, God can make a way that leads us through and brings us out stronger that we were.

In the book of James, we are reminded to, “consider it pure joy brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds.” Sometimes it is difficult to find the joy in those trials, but it we believe God to be who he claims to be and if our faith is placed in God and his ability to work in our lives, then we can find peace in our chaos and joy in our struggles.

Two days ago, while riding in the car with my wife, I told her, “I would never wish to be sick or in pain, but I am so thankful for this experience. I am so glad it happened because it changed my life.” The truth is, I would count what God did during this time as one of the top three or four spiritual experiences I’ve had in my life.

So, with my cup running over and my inspiration bursting forth… I am back. Thanks for waiting. I look forward to the journey together.

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