Treasure These Things...Mary's Song

I have fond memories of my college days. No, I wasn't a star football player, nor did I break the university track record. I never made it on any honor roles, and I wasn't chosen as class president.

By Ken Roeloffs
Pastor to Families with Elementary Children Still, those days were precious to me. It is a time in my life when my spiritual awareness was heightened. It was a time when I was very grateful for what God had done for me. A special time in the day for me was early in the morning. My college was set near the Pacific Coast. It was common to wake up to a gentle breeze that rolled through the palm trees bringing with it a misty fog. You could taste the salt in the air; and if you closed your eyes, you could imagine the sound of crashing waves from the ocean nearby. Most of the time, all you heard were the sounds of cars passing by and the occasional rumble of a train. Each morning I would make myself a cup of coffee, sit out on the front porch with Bible in hand and spend time reflecting on all God had done for me. I was grateful for where God had brought me. I thought of family, friends, classes, current struggles and victories, and the college ministry I was a part of. In particular, I was very thankful for one friend God had given me. Charlie was an English major. He had fiery red hair and a dynamic personality to go along with it. What made him so special is what was on the inside. He had a passion for God and it was contagious. As I look back, I realize that I had tested our friendship on a number of occasions. I guess I wanted to see if this friendship was for real. It seemed too good to be true. Each time, Charlie would rise to the occasion, affirming to me that nothing could shake our friendship. It gave me a real picture of what God's love for me must be like; a committed love. As I think about the Christmas story, I am always drawn back to the picture of Mary. I wonder if in her little town of Nazareth she too could smell the salt air coming from the Mediterranean Sea. Most likely, she was too far away. But, maybe she had that special place she could retreat to early in the morning with a cup of tea, looking out over the city, pondering all that had happened to her. Luke tells us she "treasured all these things in her heart" (Luke 2:51, NIV). She would recall the miraculous conception, the strenuous journey to Bethlehem, the manger scene, the shepherds, the wisemen, the escape to Egypt, her return to Nazareth and watching her son grow "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). We are given a small peek into her reflections early on in what is called Mary's Song. You can find her song in Luke 1:46-55. Her song comes as a culmination of reflections and experiences. She reflects on God's mighty deeds, on the fulfillment of prophecy and on His judgment of the proud and the wicked. Most prominently, she reflects in amazement on how God would choose such a humble and ordinary person like herself to start such a great work. More importantly, she must have treasured the thought that for a short while she carried the living God inside of her, knowing that the world would never be the same again. That is just the point of the Christmas message! When Christ comes into our lives, when He invades our world, nothing is ever the same. Lives are radically changed. He makes His presence known to each one of us in a very unique way. And each of us comes to experience Him in a real and meaningful way. For me, Christ came in a real way through family, friends and such people like Charlie. For Mary, He came in the form of a child. In essence, each one of us who has experienced Christ in a personal way has a very powerful story to tell. We can sing of His glories; proclaim His wisdom; describe His power and provisions; and speak of His wonderful love. Above all these things, the greatest gift we can give this season is to demonstrate this Love to someone else in a real way. What an opportunity we have to take this treasure we have found and to share it with others! So, as you take time this Christmas season to reflect, consider not only the Christmas story, but consider how Christ has broken into your life in the present day. When you find yourself filled with wonders at Christ's awesome work, consider how you might pass His love on to those around you.