Jesus said to some guys one time: "out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Our hearts are funny things. They can hold the finest treasures on earth and on the other hand they can harbor hatred, thoughts that you wonder if they might have been injected by Satan himself, memories of hurts that may have taken place 25 years or more...and then before you know what happened, those things in the heart become words and come vomiting out all over the place. For those who have some moral base, it's not one of the happier times. For those who don't care about morals, men or embarrassing moments, they think it's funny. The guys I work with during the summer months say things that never fail to amaze me because of the depth of depravity they pull them from--and those are from the 2 "Christian" guys. What the others say are just beyond my finite brain.

I was reading Luke chapter one earlier today and was again astonished by God's love for all of us: The just and the unjust; the foul and the fair; the depraved and the decent--every single person living before, then, now and tomorrow--no one is left out when it comes to who God loves.

Among all those loved ones there was one that caught his eye. Tradition tells us that this one was born of parents who very much echoed the lives of Elkanah and Hannah. Hannah always wanted a baby but none came until God answered her prayer and she was able to have a son, Samuel. She took old Sammie to the Temple and it was there that he was raised. In the same way Mary's mother, Anna, was barren and had cried out for years for God to take away her shame and the reproach her and Joachim received from their neighbors. When Mary, her daughter, came, she, like Saumuel, was later taken to the Temple to be raised.

And when the time was right, an angel came down and had a talk with Mary who said, "As you wish (Princess Bride interpretation)." She did indeed become pregnant supernaturally and her Son was called Jesus, the son of God--not Joseph. Her life was turned upside down, sideways and shaken to the core and lots of strange things were afoot (Bill and Ted interpretation). Shepherds were telling her stuff and Magi were telling her stuff and a few years later Jesus kind of ditched Joseph and Mary to hang out at the Temple on a family outing. When Jesus was found He simply told Mary He had to be about His Father's business, to which she said, "You come over here right this minute--I'm going to wear your butt out." Just checking if you'd ever read the text. What was actually said was, "...His mother kept all these things in her heart."

camel"In her heart." Oh, to be like Mary. To hide the words of God in my heart; to ponder, meditate, think about all of what God says day and night would be such a wise thing to do. When some unintelligent moron runs me off the road, sometimes nothing comes out of my mouth stronger than, "Dork." When a camel pulled out in front of Mary and Joseph, she just thought, "Oh, that camel must need prayer--it nearly hit me while I was crossing the street." She kept the word of God in her heart and it guarded her lips, her thoughts and even inspired her to prayer. She didn't call that camel a "dork," she prayed for it (yes, I know--I made all this up). You see, when you treasure something that is "whatsoever" in your heart, you remain mindful of the Lord Jesus, day and night, moment to moment and second to second. Those "whatsoevers" are "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." That's Philippians 4: 8ish.

Finally, you who have persevered to the end of this, MERRY CHRISTMAS. May this Christmas and 2011 find you, like Mary, treasuring the Lord Jesus in your hearts, remembering Him day and night, standing before Him in humble heartfelt prayer issuing from a pure heart. Here's another "whatsoever": Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do for the glory of God. Pray for that camel. Much love to you all...

Bob and Jackie

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