Treasure
To treasure something is to hold it dear in your heart. As I think about Christmas, some memories are truly dear to me. I remember one Christmas, my son was about three or four and was opening his gift from grandma. As he unwrapped his gift with a smile on his face and glee in his eyes, visions of that new toy danced in his head. With both hands on the box, the wrapping was torn off within seconds.
He peeked in the box and the contents became known. Then he looked up at me with such displeasure and stated, “Clothes? Why is it always clothes?” Of course, I corrected him and told him to be grateful. There are so many other Christmas memories which I treasure. One of my favorites was over sixteen years ago, when my sweet husband surprised me with a lifetime dream in my Christmas stocking.
I screamed with delight when I opened an envelope that revealed a trip to Europe. Now, I must share one of the funniest Christmases of my life. My whole family gathered together at my house, and we were exchanging gifts. One of my sisters gave another sister a book with an endearing handwritten message on a page. She unwraps the book and looks through it. She comes up on the handwritten page. She begins to read the inscription out loud.
Then all of a sudden she stops with a perplexed look on her face, she looks up and asks, “Who is Peggy Sue?” My sister had given her the wrong book. Within seconds, the room filled with laughter, and we have never let her forget this incident. In fact, as I am writing this I am chuckling at the memory of that night.
Everyone has some great and not so great memories of Christmas. If you and I were to have a conversation, I know you would have your stories to share. However, what inspired this blog was a verse I came across as I read the Christmas story. It is a very endearing verse from a mother’s heart. In Luke 2:19, “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (ESV).
This verse comes directly after a visit to the Christ child from the shepherds. Mary must have been in awe of this baby she had just birthed, strangers coming to acknowledge His deity, along with all the insecurities of a first-time mom. It would have been so surreal to say the least; yet, she takes it all in and embraces the miracle of Christmas.
This Christmas many of us will be surrounded by family and friends, relationships that we should treasure. Therefore, as you are getting ready for the Big Day, ponder on all the Lord has done for you. God became man and dwelled among us; Immanuel is the story of Christmas. Yes, God humbled Himself to the point of becoming a baby. There is nothing more defenseless than a baby. Jesus showed us that humility begins and comes from God. Christmas opens the door for Salvation.
The miracle of Christmas was just the beginning of the plan for your life and mine. His plan will use you, and the outcome will always go beyond your realm. There is so much more to the story, and Mary was seeing that MORE with her own eyes. Therefore, if you have a relationship with the Lord, this relationship is to be treasured. With this understanding, give thanks and praise His name.
The best way to say thank you to the Lord, is to share His love with others. If you know God, then you have treasure beyond compare. You are rich. You have so much to give others. Therefore, be a part of the miracle of Christmas, by treasuring people and loving them right into the kingdom.
The question must be asked, “This Christmas, what will you treasure?”
Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (ESV)
