Daily devotion – Learning from Mary!
A Heavy Heart
Luke 2:19 — “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”
Mary was still just a teenager, a young girl living in Nazareth, engaged to Joseph, a young carpenter. Then suddenly, her life was changed forever. The angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her that she would conceive and bear a Son—not knowing a man—and that this child would be the Messiah, Jesus, the Son of God.
Every time I read about Joseph and Mary, I am in awe of how wonderfully the Lord used these two young people. Their lives would never be the same from that moment. I cannot wait to meet them both in glory!
On the night Jesus was born, shepherds came running from the fields to find Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus. They told them everything they had seen and heard—the angelic announcement and the host of angels who had appeared before them.
And what did Mary do?
She pondered these things in her heart.
That word pondered carries the thought of carefully considering, reflecting upon, and weighing something deeply within oneself. Mary was taking in the enormity of what God was doing. She could not possibly understand everything, but she treasured these things and reflected upon them.
This morning, as I spent time with the Lord, I found myself pondering in my heart the Scriptures concerning the coming Tribulation period. Hearing of yet another earthquake, this time in Colombia, my thoughts turned to the many calamities that will fall upon a Christ-rejecting world during the days ahead.
My mind then went to those who once walked with Christ but have turned back toward the world. Paul wrote sadly of Demas:
2 Timothy 4:10 — “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed…”
Then I thought about the world in which we live—a world where so many people carry an almost unbearable heaviness within their hearts. For some, the despair becomes so great that they see no way out and tragically seek to escape their pain by ending their own lives.
These things can weigh heavily upon us.
The condition of our world, the suffering of people, the reality of coming judgment, the spiritual blindness of so many, and even the falling away of those who once professed Christ—if we allow ourselves to carry all these things without looking to the Lord, our hearts can become overwhelmed.
But as this wave of unrest washed over me this morning, I simply called out to my Lord.
“Lord, help me.”
I looked to Him to make sense of all that was going through my mind, and He led me to young Mary in Nazareth.
Here was a young woman who had been given an assignment from God that she could never have fully understood. Yet she did not complain. She did not rail against God. She did not say, “I will not do this.” Instead, we are told that she pondered these things in her heart.
Mary reflected upon this momentous event in history. Of all the women of Israel, God had chosen her to be the mother of the Messiah!
And perhaps that is something we need to learn when our own hearts become heavy.
We don’t have to understand everything. We simply need to bring everything to the One who does.
As I reflected upon Mary’s example, I found myself thanking God for saving me. I thanked Him that even this morning, when my thoughts were heavy, He listened to me. He gave me His ear.
What an incredible blessing that is!
I have nothing to boast about. I deserve nothing. Yet God has saved me, promised me eternal life, and watches over me every day. He watches over my family, and His loving hand is upon those I love.
I do not understand everything that is coming.
But I do know Who is coming.
And I know what He has promised.
Jesus Christ is coming again!
So when our hearts become heavy, we can ponder the things of God—not in fear, but in faith. We can look at the world around us without losing hope because our hope is not found in this world.
Our hope is found in Christ.
John 14:1–3 — “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me… I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
The world may be filled with uncertainty, but the child of God does not have to live in uncertainty.
We may not understand all that is coming, but we know Who holds tomorrow.
So today, if your heart feels heavy, bring it to Jesus. Tell Him what troubles you. Ponder His Word. Remember His promises. Look back at His faithfulness. And then lift your eyes toward the coming King.
For the believer, the story does not end with earthquakes, tribulation, suffering or death.
Jesus is coming for His Church.
And one day, by His grace, we will be with Him in glory.
Until that day, let us trust Him—even when our hearts are heavy.
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” — 1 Peter 5:7
Lord, help us to ponder Your promises in our hearts, to trust You when we do not understand, and to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus, our blessed hope and coming King. Amen.