Happy Summer Days!

Keep them in your heart!!

By Helen Jesze, 11^th August 2023

“But Mary was keeping within herself all these things (sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart.”

Luke 2:19 AMP

“… and his mother kept and closely and persistently guarded all these things in her heart.”

Luke 2:51b AMP

In our Christian life, circumstances happen, words are said, God shows us things – sometimes we just let them pass by without taking much notice, and forget them. But as I was reading about Mary, the mother of Jesus, I was struck by her attitude. We often forget that Mary was probably just a young teenager, perhaps 14 years old, yet God knew why he had chosen this young woman to bring his Son, Jesus, to Earth. There was a depth in her character, a latching on to the things of God, a holding fast which could not be taken for granted.

Amazed at the shepherds coming and worshipping the Christ-Child, telling how the angels had appeared, telling that God’s Son was to be born, giving them directions where to find him – all who heard the story were astounded and marvelled. But the Bible tells us that Mary did something more than momentarily marvel – she kept these sayings in her heart, and “weighed and pondered them”. The NIV says “she treasured” them. We treasure something of value, which has worth, and do not take it lightly or carelessly.

Mary turned this all over in her mind and heart; to ‘ponder’ means to consider, to search for the meaning, looking below the surface. This special Child who had been entrusted to Joseph and herself would never cease to amaze them in the years ahead. One of these times was when Jesus was 12 years old and they were in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. On the way home, they suddenly realised he was not with their company and they went back, searching for him. They found him in the Temple among the teachers, listening and asking them questions. All were astonished and overwhelmed “with bewildered wonder at his intelligence and understanding”. Mary and Joseph were also amazed; Mary chided him for making them so worried but Jesus replied that he had to be in his Father’s house and about his Father’s business! But they did not understand what he was saying. After that Jesus went home with them to Nazareth and was “habitually obedient to them…”.

In Luke 2:51b it tells us that Mary “kept and closely and persistently guarded all these things in her heart.” ‘Persistently’ means to keep on doing something, to not give up – above all else she guarded these words of her son and this incident – it was precious.

I believe the Lord would also have us to closely, persistently guard what he tells and shows us; that we should ponder, turn it over in our mind and heart, to look below the surface, to never let it go, for his dealings with us are of immense worth. We are constantly being changed from glory to glory, into the image of God’s dear Son.

This brings me to another thought. Some things God shows us are for us, and not for anybody else. They lose their power, or are misunderstood if we share them with others. Then some things are to be shared, but at a later date, and we need to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, when and how we are to do this. In the meantime, let us keep them closely guarded in our hearts, continually praying and interceding in tongues over them for God to show us the next step.

Be encouraged today if it seems that you don’t have the whole picture at the moment! God sees yesterday, today and tomorrow – he works to a bigger time- table than we do! His timing is perfect, so lock those treasures away in your heart and watch him bring them to pass!