Our culture moves at a fast pace every day of the year, but never more so than during the Christmas season. Last-minute shopping, holiday parties, preparing for guests, and traveling to see loved ones can make the days leading up to Christmas a blur. Couple that with modern-day technology constantly at our fingertips, and there’s a good chance we won’t focus on anything for long. If we aren’t careful, we run the risk of attending every gathering, decorating our home in a Pinterest-worthy manner, finishing our to-do list, and, in every sense that matters—missing Christmas.
Let me ask you a question: When was the last time you experienced something so wonderful that days later, you were still thinking about it?
After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph were visited by shepherds who reported to Mary the amazing things they had heard about Jesus (Luke 2:17-18). Luke said, “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). To ponder something means to reflect or meditate on it—to think it through from every angle. Mary had given birth to the Savior of the world, and the Christ-child would grow into adulthood under her roof. Indeed, it was something to treasure and reflect on so she could embrace the magnitude of it all.
More than 2000 years later, Jesus is still worthy of our undivided attention. But you might be wondering, “How do I ponder Christ?” Charles Spurgeon put it this way, “Know Jesus. Sit at His feet. Consider His nature, His work, His sufferings, His glory. Rejoice in His presence; commune with Him from day to day. To know Christ is to understand the most excellent of all sciences. You cannot fail to be wise if you commune with Incarnate wisdom. You cannot lack strength if you have constant fellowship with God.”
The Advent season is the perfect time to spend time reflecting on the things you treasure. Maybe you’d like to spend some time pondering the Christmas story or another portion of Scripture. This Bible encourages this practice. The Psalmist wrote, “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word”(Psa. 119:15-16).
As you reflect, ask yourselves some questions: What makes this meaningful to me? What parts do I treasure and why? What should my response to this be? The things that matter most deserve your reflection. Taking the time to reflect seals the things you treasure in your heart and mind in a way that wouldn’t happen otherwise. If you take the time—you’ll be glad you did.
