Pondering Scripture: Finding Wonder in the Familiar
Part of the Pondering Scripture series - where we let our minds wander through scripture and see what finds us
The Christmas season seems to solidify that we as humans (at least in the West) are seekers. We like to set our sights on what we want, make it happen, and move on. Christmas tends to remind me of this more than any other time of year: 'Last minute gift ideas,' 'buy now,' 'click here to find that perfect gift.' Christmas wrapped up nice and neat — no effort needed.
In all of our seeking, I think we're losing the art of 'finding.' By that I mean the art of discovery. My GPS tells me exactly how to get there, my phone tells me what news stories to read and even what to watch on TV. Many things come to us in a 'done for you' format. Now with the advancement of artificial intelligence, this trend will only accelerate.
There's nothing wrong with being a culture of 'seekers.' That's who we are at this point in time in history. But we are losing something valuable. That's the ability to focus, concentrate beyond sound 'bytes', and sit long enough with something to let it actually change us.
We're great at collecting information, but not so great at letting it transform us. In a world of endless scrolling and constant notifications, just try sitting with one thought, one story, one moment for more than a few minutes. It's harder than it sounds, isn't it?
I love this article and have referenced it often in my ministry: People would rather be electrically shocked than left alone with their thoughts. Let that sink in for a moment. We're so uncomfortable with silence, with stillness, with just being present that we'd literally rather experience physical pain.
And then there’s Mary…
As I've been preaching through the Christmas story this season, I keep coming back to this quiet detail Luke gives us about her. Right in the middle of all the chaos — a census forcing travel, no proper place to give birth, shepherds bursting in with wild stories about angels — we get this glimpse: 'But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them' (Luke 2:19).
Imagine that scene with Mary and Joseph and a newborn in a manger. She didn't give birth in a hospital or even a house, but in a stable (probably a cave) among animals. Suddenly shepherds show up, out of breath with excitement, sharing visions of angels and heaven's glory. If it were me, I'd probably be thinking, 'Excuse me, I just had a baby in a BARN, could everyone please calm down?' But Mary? She's quietly taking it all in.
And this wasn't a one-time thing. Years later, after losing track of twelve-year-old Jesus for three days in Jerusalem, they finally find him in the temple. When he responds to their worry with words about his Father's house, Luke tells us again, 'His mother kept all these things in her heart' (Luke 2:51). Both times, we see Mary doing something that feels so foreign to us today — she's letting these moments sink deep into her soul.
I can't help but think that this 'pondering' thing is just part of following Jesus. Think about it — we serve a God who's way bigger than our human brains can grasp. There's always going to be stuff that leaves us scratching our heads, moments that don't fit into our neat little boxes. And maybe that's okay. Maybe that's exactly where faith grows.
Look at Mary. She doesn't rush to post about the shepherds' visit on social media (okay, I know they didn't have that back then, but you get what I mean). She doesn't try to explain away every detail of what just happened. Instead, she lets these crazy, beautiful, uncomfortable moments teach her something about God.
That's what gets me about this story — while everyone else is running around telling people what they saw, Mary's just... being. Sitting with it all. I wonder if she looked at baby Jesus sleeping in that feed trough and thought, 'I have no idea how all this fits together, but I'm going to trust that God does.'
Makes me wonder what we're missing when we rush past the parts of faith that don't make perfect sense.
Maybe real authentic biblical faith is more about sitting with the questions rather than having all the answers. Quietly turning over things in your heart, letting them shape you — Seeking what God has for you.
I’m busy like everyone else, but I’m trying to find more Mary time — more time to ponder and reflect. The Christmas season surely brings some big moments into our lives as we celebrate with loved ones. But don’t miss the quiet spaces in between where we can wander through the mystery of it all.
What are you pondering this Christmas?
What's on your mind this Christmas season?