Day 30 Pondering and Worshiping

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:19-20 English Standard Version

We’ve nearly reached the end of this advent journey. Along the way we’ve encountered a wandering childless Aramean, a man and woman evicted from paradise, a few old prophets, magi from the East on a quest, an old childless couple from Judea, a craftsman and his fiancé with a problematic pregnancy, and some wild-eyed excited shepherds. All these players in God’s great drama, helping in some way to bring in Immanuel…God with us. Heaven opened and Jesus was born, and nothing has been the same since.

Like all the actors in this morality play, we get to make a choice. Do we make room for Jesus and let Him have His way with us? Or do we merely take Him out of the box once a year to sit on the shelf while we play Christmas music and eat too much? The shepherds glorified and praised God. The magi sought out and worshiped. The prophets looked from afar and yearned. The wandering Aramean offered his son. They all were changed by their encounter with God. Do we only confront this Jesus once a year as an infant, or do we let Him change us, alter the trajectory of our lives, transforming us? The prospect is breathtakingly sublime. The process may be painful. Mary treasured all of these things in her heart, wondering what it all might mean. Ask any parent, having children always changes the dynamic. This child changed the world. Will we let Him change us?