December’s calendar is so full. There is so much going on this time of year.

“I hardly even have time to think.” I have heard this comment before.

Not having time, or taking time, to stop and think is one of our biggest weaknesses. No time to reflect is a problem.

This month I have been reading through the meaningful birth narratives of Christ in Matthew and Luke in the Bible. And it has caught my attention how we are told about both Mary and Joseph’s thoughtfulness. They were contemplative, reflective, deep, and thoughtful. Yes, they were going through some wild, shocking, true and dramatic stuff, but they also took time to “consider” what it meant.

• Matthew 1:20 “But as he considered these things …” After finding out Mary was pregnant, Joseph didn’t just react. He didn’t overreact. He didn’t respond so quickly and brashly. He “considered” the situation. No doubt, his thinking contributed to him being in position for what God was about to do next. His “considering” is a small but key part of the story.
• Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” After Mary had given birth to Jesus, our Savior, the shepherds were notified. After the shepherds came to see the newborn king, they told Mary how they had been notified by the angels in the night sky. Mary’s response was to “ponder” all these things. You can almost picture young Mary sitting in awe of all that God was doing through her to fulfill His promises of sending a savior. Her pondering is a small but key part of the story.
• Luke 2:51 “And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” In the only Biblical passage about Jesus that isn’t either Jesus as a baby or Jesus as an adult, we have 12 -year-old Jesus traveling to Jerusalem with his family. While there, Jesus gets lost. He is separated from his parents, and they don’t even notice until they are a day’s journey headed back toward home. Once they find their son and re-connect with Him, they are puzzled by his response. Jesus was in His Father’s house focused on the teaching. This scene is another wild and fascinating twist to the life of Jesus. But once all settles and mother, father and son are re-united, Luke says that Mary “treasured up all these things in her heart.”She was reflective. Her thinking is a small but key part of the story.

I know we all have a lot to do. But we must find time to think. It is a small but key part to our story. Finding time and space to contemplate, reflect, consider and ponder will be huge for your life and faith.

Don’t miss what God is doing in your life because you had not thought about it!