Treasured Things

“And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”
~Luke 2:17-20

Usually, I am the shepherds. I see or hear something and I make it known.

I am an expert at telling the world everything that’s going on in my heart and life.

I am not so like Mary, not so inclined to treasure up all these things and ponder them in my heart.

But the last few months have left me in the middle, or really in both places at once.

I am enjoying a treasure, bountiful gifts from a loving Lord–and I am torn between two impulses.

One impulse is to tell everyone–the gals I work with, my family, my friends, the teller at the bank. I want the world to know how good God is and how wonderful my treasures are.

The other impulse is to treasure them myself, to keep everything private, to rejoice inwardly as I recount to myself the stories of God’s faithfulness.

Yes, I am being evasive. I am not quite sharing my treasures yet. I am erring to the treasuring in my heart part.

But know this and rejoice with me.

“behold, the winter is past;
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.”

~Song of Solomon 2:11-13

In what has seemed like a long winter, the promise of God has been sure. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

Spring follows winter.

Delight follows toil.

After the night, the sun rises.

And I will treasure His faithfulness above all.