December 17, 2025

“But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.” – Luke 2:19

I have to keep a notebook next to my bed. When the chaos of the day is over, the room is quiet, and my phone is off, the stillness causes me to meditate on life (even though I should be falling asleep). The things floating around in my brain finally become clarified. But if I just fall asleep, the clarity is gone by the time I wake up. So having that little notebook allows me to quickly jot them down and then forget about them until morning, allowing me to peacefully drift off to sleep. That little notebook has sermon illustrations, devotional ideas, solutions to car projects, and little pieces of songs I am writing. When I think about it, that messy little chicken scratch next to the bed has held some of my most important ideas, simply because I was resting there in the quiet.

Mary is obviously one of the most important characters in Scripture. But the Bible tells us surprisingly little about her. We just get small snap shots of her life. One of those brief snap shots that has always interested me is Luke 2:19. In the middle of a story about terrified shepherds, angel choirs, and people praising and glorifying God, the picture we have of Mary is someone treasuring the moment and meditating on the meaning of it all. Now, remember, this was all pretty intense for Mary as well. She was a virgin who gave birth to the Messiah in a barn and had to use a manger as a crib. But in the midst of the chaos, she was still. We will never know why God chose her for this incredible position, but I think this glimpse into her character is an important one. We could all learn a lesson here; when God is using us for his purposes, we need to be people who stop, treasure the moment, find the silence, and meditate on the incredible work he is doing.

We praise you, Father, for allowing us to shine in a dark world and bring the Savior to those who are perishing. In the midst of this work, help us find peace and stillness. Teach us to treasure the moments and meditate on the meaning of all you are doing in and through us.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon