gifts vs. the Gift

During this time of year, stopping to do nothing seems like a waste of precious time. Rest is nonexistent and even can be seen as laziness to the world around you.

So much to do, so little time to do it in.

Preparing food for family meals, wrapping presents (and buying last minute ones), cleaning the ever dirty house for the visitors who only come this time of year, and so much more that doesn’t even have anything to do with the Christmas season. It seems that Santa isn’t the only one whose having to check lists twice.

This morning, as I recovered from taking my third final, I sat down to get some time in with Jesus before moving on to whatever responsibility I had next. Not much time to give, but some was better than none, right? I’d squeeze Him into my schedule so I didn’t feel so bad about running around taking care of and focusing on everything else.

But, the Lord stayed true to form per usual and stopped me in my hurried tracks.

Luke 2:19

“But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.”

Okay, back story real quick.

The Roman government has called for a census. Everyone is returning to their hometown in order to be counted accordingly. Mary and Joseph show up in Bethlehem and she is PREGNANT. We’re talking, about to pop. They get into town though, and there’s absolutely no place for them to stay. Everywhere is all booked and there isn’t a spare bed to be found. Out of the kindness of his heart though, an inn owner offers them the stable that he owns in order to house the animals of his guests. Seeing no other option, the couple takes him up on the offer. It’s not long though and Mary goes into labor. Perfect timing for a baby to arrive, am I right? The Savior of the entire world was just born in a barn, with animals as an audience. Hours later, the shepherds show up to see what the angels were telling them about and to worship this new baby.

Hold up. Can we all just take a moment to consider Mary and how she must have been feeling?? She just gave birth in A BARN. Labor is long, uncomfortable, and extremely draining. She has no bed, no bath, no pain medicine, nothing. Now, she has this newborn baby who she has to make sure is healthy, and stays that way. She has a husband she has to be aware of and tend to – as well as taking care of herself. Then out of nowhere these shepherds just show up to see her baby. This teenage mother had just become the ultimate busy mom.

And yet, her response isn’t to yell in frustration or demand privacy. It wasn’t to complain or become angry with the situation she found herself in.

{Mary takes the time to look around, truly consider what was going on, and to revel in it. More than that, she meditates on it.}

The definition of meditate is to “think deeply or focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.”

A period of time. Meaning that she didn’t just think about it and move on. She stopped everything else she was doing and focused on what was at hand. She chose to simply sit and consider what had just taken place in her life. She takes time to quietly think about the Son she just gave birth to and how much He’s already impacting the world at a few hours old.

She stops to remember it all and to memorize everything. Because she never wants to forget that moment. She never wants to forget what the Lord has given her.

As Christmas gets closer, as finals appear to take over my life, as it all just builds, my prayer is that I would be like Mary. That I would stop and truly meditate on why Christmas is celebrated, on why Christ had to come at all, and how much I must mean to the Lord for Him to ever do such a scandalously wonderful thing for me.

I pray that, like Mary, I would treasure all of it and hide it in my heart. That instead of focusing on gifts, I would be focused on the Gift.