from Lenae, GEMS Training Manger
FOCUS
ON CHRIST INSTEAD OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES
But Mary treasured up all these things and
pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:19
Have you ever felt hypocritical singing Silent Night when you can’t even get
your mind to be silent in church because your Christmas to-do list is wrecking
havoc with your head? From your lips you sing, “All is calm . . . ” but your
spirit scoffs, “All is chaos maybe, but calm? Not by a long shot.”
Although Silent
Night is a beautiful hymn, the night of Jesus’ birth wasn’t as silent as
nativity scenes display. Think about the circumstances that surrounded His
birth. The holy infant would’ve cried, and the first time parents far from home
may have wondered what to do. And then there were the animals. Not only do they
generate a lot of noise, the smell isn’t real pleasant either.
When our minds are focused on our circumstances
instead of Christ, there will be more chaos then calm. Mary models how to think
right. Her mind was fixed on her Lord. When the angel Gabriel announced her
miraculous virgin pregnancy she responded with surrender and in song. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered.
“May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). My soul
glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . . for the Mighty
One has done great things for me–holy is his name (Luke 1:46, 49).
At Jesus’ birth, angels sang, shepherds
visited, and Mary pondered. She treasured
up all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19). She stilled
her mind, not her circumstances. She thought about God and pondered all He was
doing in the world and in her life.
When have you and I last sat still and pondered
the awesomeness of God? Does our spirit rejoice in God our Savior? Does our
heart skip a beat when we gaze at Jesus and think about His love that was so
deep he did not consider equality with
God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature
of a servant, being made in human likeness (Philippians 2:6-7).
We don’t need a silent night to think on God
and His greatness; we need a still heart. What is it that you fear? What
circumstances in your life feel like the earth is giving way and the mountains
are falling into the heart of the sea? (Psalm 46:2) With the Psalmist command
your heart to be still and know that I am
God. The LORD Almighty is with us (Psalm 46:10a, 11a). Yes! Yes! Emmanuel,
“God with us” is here (Matthew 1:23)!
Think
on it: No matter what
your circumstances hold today, will you keep your heart still before God and
focused on Christ? If so, how?
Our hearts can be filled with distractions. Love will
find a place where it’s welcome, even if it’s just a manger.
Bob Goff
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