Luke 2--Mary's First Christmas

Luke 2 is the classic Christmas story. It's the one that we read on Christmas Eve. It's beautifully written, and it tells the story of our Savior's birth. I've read it many many times, but today I thought about it from Mary's perspective.

Can you imagine how difficult her life was at that moment? She was pregnant, and unmarried. If Joseph had left her, she would have been stoned to death (though she was a virgin). And now, she is 9 months pregnant, and goes on this long journey riding on the back of a donkey. That sounds terribly uncomfortable. THEN, she goes into labor, and no one has any room for her in their hotels. Can't you imagine how upsetting it must have been to go from place to place, while having contractions, only to be turned away again and again.

She HAD to think..."Wait a minute...I'm having the son of God!! What in the world is going on here?" If an angel had appeared to me, and called me blessed and told me I was going to be the mother of the Savior of the world, I would have assumed that things would have been a tad bit easier. I never would have imagined having my baby...God's own son, in a barn!

BUT THEN...the blessings and miracles begin to appear just when things look the darkest. Suddenly an enormous star begins to shine. Wise men come bearing gifts (GOLD, and other precious and expensive gifts), shepherds come and stand in awe and worship, angels burst into song.

And the bible says that Mary "treasured all these things in her heart."

Sometimes our treasures come out of the very darkest times of our lives. The blessings God sends, the strength and wisdom we receive, knowing how dear our family and friends are, and the maturity that can only come from hardship.

As long as we go with God, He will unravel all the hardships in our lives. The angels still sing of God's intentions for us: "Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”