What Are You Pondering In Your Heart?
In week two, of Unexplainable Jesus, which is a study of the gospel of Luke, I was literally captivated by a word that Erica brought to our attention. Anyone who knows me knows I love words, so for me to be this excited over one, it must be good! I love how Erica explains the history, culture, and passages in a way that's easy to understand.
The word is Syntēréō. {I may tattoo it on my person 😏} It comes from Luke 2:19.
"But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart"
The word syntēréō is the "treasured up" part of the verse. Erica says in her book,
"Mary attempted to perpetually keep these things in the forefront of her thoughts. She intensely guarded these memories. We are also told she pondered them, so while she kept the details fresh in her mind, she still did not fully grasp the significance of all that was happening".
First of all, what were these things that Mary was pondering? Well, if we back up a few verses, we see that an angel has appeared to the shepherds and has proclaimed the birth of Jesus - the Savior.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
You know, we read these verses as part of the Christmas story, but do we really spend any time pondering them? Have you thought about what it must have been like to be Mary? To live in that culture? To be approached by an angel? She was very young, she has been "overshadowed" by the Holy Spirit and is told she will give birth to the Son of God. She is currently betrothed - arranged marriage? And now she has to tell her future husband that she's pregnant. With the Son of God? He must have thought her a liar, or crazy. Thankfully, an angel appears to him as well. What a great guy - to stand by Mary's side amidst the gossiping and shame that the community, family, were throwing her way. How do you tell your family that an angel has appeared to you and you're going to give birth to the savior of the people? This hadn't happened before, and hasn't happened since! I guess Mary did have a great deal to ponder. She's at the forefront of the greatest story ever told. The redemption of mankind. By a virgin birth. Impossible. Impossible for man, but not for God.
Later in Luke, we are introduced to Simeon, a righteous and devout man, that was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Lord had spoken to Simeon and told him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. So, in walk Mary and Joseph with Jesus. They are there to dedicate him to the Lord, as was the Jewish custom, and Simeon takes Jesus into his arms and blessed him and his parents. He speaks out the prophetic words captured in Luke 2:29-32, and then he speaks just to Mary, saying:
“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
How would you like to hear on dedication day that a sword will pierce your soul, as well as your child's? She had to be so very confused. Is he the promised savior? The Jewish people thought that the Messiah would come as a warrior prince - not as a carpenter's son from the insignificant town of Nazareth. It's God's way though, isn't it? To use everyday people, people with flaws and issues, imperfect people to accomplish his purposes. Here is Jesus, the perfect human, who will grow up to be a sacrificial lamb, and by his death, the old way would pass and God would give us the opportunity to be reconciled with Him once more, now and forever. How must events transpire, Mary must be wondering, to end up piercing her soul? I'll bet she did a lot of pondering. Then, when he was 33 and was arrested and beaten, those ponderings must have looked more like a nightmare. But Mary was faithful. She trusted God.
It dawned on me afresh, with this captivating word, that Mary too was a bereaved mother. She watched her son be nailed to a cross and die in such a horrific fashion. The Romans had perfected the crucifying of people, an absolutely horrible way to die - and then a sword was indeed introduced. It pierced his side, just as the scriptures foretold. A stab into his flesh to ensure he was dead. Yes, Mary's soul was indeed run through, again as prophesied. Was it in any way what she had imagined? She watched him die. Saw his body taken down and removed from that cross - the vessel of her child, the one she bore, was no longer holding that soul that made him who he was. I can relate to this part of Mary's story now, in a way I never could have before. After we lost our own son. After his body gave up its soul and the vessel that held it was cold.
I have certainly thought about Mary and her role as the mother of Jesus, her loss, everything she endured and the incredible life she lived. What she saw, felt, experienced. But I have to say, to be told while you are holding your infant in your arms that sorrow is going to pierce your soul . . .man. A mother's heart is tough, but when it comes to their children, there is no more vulnerable spot. You'd do anything to save your child.
Joseph isn't mentioned again after Jesus was a young teen. Mary most likely was a widow as well. Jesus, her oldest son, would have been the head of the household. He was her firstborn. His story was unlike any other child in the history of the world. Did she see the big picture? Did she understand that her son would be the sacrifice for the entire human race? That he would bear all of our sins that day? Mine, yours. That his death would be the saving grace for anyone who believed in him? What did those three days feel like for Mary, the days before he rose again from the dead? Could she believe it? Could she believe he died? What must she have been going through? Can you imagine the elation she felt when she heard his body was gone from the tomb? Did she understand any of it? Was she still in shock, in her mourning clothes, exhausted from weeping?
Mary treasured up these things in her heart. Syntēréō
She fiercely guarded and kept safe these things. Syntēréō
She kept these things in the forefront of her thoughts. Syntēréō
She kept the details fresh in her mind Syntēréōn
Even though she didn't fully understand what was happening.
Mary would've memorized every word.
She kept these things in the forefront of her thoughts. Syntēréō
She kept the details fresh in her mind Syntēréōn
Even though she didn't fully understand what was happening.
Mary would've memorized every word.
What are you pondering in your heart? What are you fiercely guarding? Keeping safe? What do you wake up at night thinking about over and over in your mind? I know that I am fiercely guarding my memories. My son. Keeping them safe. Studying the Word and waiting until I see Jesus - and John, our son. We have that faith, that promise, that we will see him again. Until then, he is with the Lord, loved and at peace. I encourage you to let Jesus into your life - this study is a great way to start, or to continue down the path of learning what an incredible story the Bible has to tell. It would be awesome to hear what parts of this study grab you where you are at in your story . . .
Click here for an Amazon link to
Unexplainable Jesus by Erica Wiggenhorn
There is an opportunity to study it together, starting June 11th, and again in September of 2019.
You can sign up at
www.ericawiggenhorn.com
There is an opportunity to study it together, starting June 11th, and again in September of 2019.
You can sign up at
www.ericawiggenhorn.com
You can also join the Facebook Group where we will
"Step into the streets of Jerusalem
and encounter the Jewish Rabbi who
turned the world upside down."
"Step into the streets of Jerusalem
and encounter the Jewish Rabbi who
turned the world upside down."
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