Treasuring the Wonders of God

Mary's pregnancy and birth were different in many respects. Like any other expectant woman, I'm sure Mary prepared and planned for the day she would give birth. Maybe Joseph saw to the furnishing of the home, while Mary asked a female relative to help her when the time came. But whatever plans they made, they were rudely interrupted by a decree from Caesar Augustus.
Under compulsion of law, Joseph traveled to Bethlehem with Mary, who was now in her last month of pregnancy. Whether she traveled by foot or by animal, Mary could not have been comfortable. And by the time they arrived in Bethlehem, all suitable lodging was taken. I wonder what the young couple was thinking. Did they ever question God throughout their journey? Was Mary disappointed in the change of plans? What was she thinking when Joseph led her to a stable and the birth pangs began? I understand Mary was a woman of faith, but she was also very human and very young.

On that fateful night, the young couple barely had time to enjoy their new family when strange guests arrived to see their son. So the {shepherds} hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them 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. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. ~Luke 2:16-20 

In contrast to the enthusiastic response of the shepherds, Mary quietly meditated on the significance of all that had happened. The significance of the angels and their message, the unexpected arrival of the shepherds, the humble place of her son's birth, his true nature and identity, his future and what it meant to the future of Israel; what it meant to the future of the world.

Many years ago, soon after I found out that I was pregnant with our second child, I was going about my normal day when suddenly a sense of dread and foreboding came over me. I remember crying uncontrollably for I thought something had happened to the baby. I thought I had miscarried, although there was no physical evidence. So I cried and prayed until I was too tired to cry and pray any longer. After awhile, I calmed myself down and I simply said to myself and to God, “Even though I do not understand what is happening, I will trust God no matter what.” Then, I decided to read something in the Bible. I wanted to read one of the Psalms because the writers of the Psalms knew how to express themselves when they were distraught. And they also knew how to express faith although their circumstances had not changed. So I arbitrarily opened my Bible and turned to Psalm 139 and I began to read. When I got to verse 13, I knew that the Lord had heard my cries:

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

After reading the scripture, first I was shocked that God spoke to me so quickly. Then I pondered what God did and did not say to me. I was confident that God had heard my prayer. That was evident in the Psalm he directed me to read. But I still had to trust God with the life of my child, because he did not clearly tell me that everything was all right. But it was enough to know that he had heard me. I didn't know it then, but like Mary, I would soon realize that God had said so much more to me than I could understand in that moment.

Next time: part 2