Psalm 119: 9 -11 Thy word have I treasured in my heart.

“How can a young man keep his way pure?  By keeping it according to Thy word.  With all my heart I have sought Thee; do not let me wander from Thy commandments. Thy word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against thee.”

There was a young woman who took these words seriously and hid God’s words in her heart.  She pondered the things of God.  There are other words to describe what she did:  meditate, memorize, reflect, and consider.

The young woman I am referring to is Mary, mother of Jesus.

Her story in the first 2 chapters of Luke reveals many things about her.

Luke 1: 26 – Now in the 6th month (of Elizabeth’s pregnancy) the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.  And coming in, he said to her “Hail, favored one.  The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at this statement and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.   And the angel said to her,” Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”

What kind of woman was Mary who was called the favored one?  Would we hear those words from the Lord…favored one.  Favored to be chosen to carry in her womb Immanuel, God with us, Jesus, Son of God.

In these first 2 chapters of Luke, it is recorded 3 times that Mary “pondered in her heart, treasured in heart,” the messages from the Lord through Gabriel, the messages from shepherds from the angelic hosts and the words from Jesus as he taught the Pharisees at 12 years old.

Her response to the call of God on her life was, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord.”  She was humble and obedient.

This call of God on her life would include the shame of being mistaken for an adulteress seeing she was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph.  Obedience to the Lord would bring suffering as she saw her son misunderstood and finally hung on the cross.  She did not hide from the pain.  She went with Him.

In Luke 1: 39 – Mary went quickly to be with her relative, Elizabeth.  She sought out a safe place where someone could hear her story.  Elizabeth validated Mary.  She blessed her.  They shared three important months together.  And given the timing, Mary may have been present for the birth of John.  She was taking good care of herself and the baby she carried.

Elizabeth’s blessing was  “blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”  Mary was a woman of faith.   She believed God.

Her response to Elizabeth’s blessing is amazing.  It is called The Magnificent.  In Luke 1: 46 – 55 she quoted 14 times from the Old Testament out of 5 different books.  She mentioned the stories of Hannah and Sarah.  Both of these women had miraculous births of first boys who were important in the history of the Jewish nation.

Mary had hidden God’s word in her heart.  She had a history of treasuring and pondering things that God said.  She could have found affirmation and comfort from these stories.

Three times in the first two chapters of Luke it is recorded that she pondered and treasured the words from God in her heart.

Luke 1:29

Luke 2:19

Luke 2: 51

And then willing to bear the shame, she found a way to prepare herself and her child by finding a safe place.  She went to visit her relative Elizabeth.

The Lords preparation for Mary was through His word and His people.  Elizabeth spoke blessing and spent time with her.  Simeon and Anna both validate that this child was a gift from God.  So Mary had encouragements through God’s people to bear the shame of being with child out of wedlock and trusting God with her reputation.

My husband Bill and I are leading a co-ed group at church.  A 23 year old young woman…a girl really…came this session, because, in her words.  I want to do it right with this child.  For her that meant facing her abusive past and present what ever that would mean.  So we get a weekly report of how she is doing.  There seems to be no family to rejoice with her.  Bill is building sets of blocks for our great grandchildren and we decided to give her a set of blocks for her child.

How can we encourage young men and women to hide God’s word, memorize it, and treasure it.  We can be examples.  We can talk about how God brings to our mind through His Holy Spirit what we have treasured in our heart.  Do it when you are young.  The memory fails us as we age.  The things we learned when we were young can come back at just the right time, but memorizing when we are old is much more difficult.  Sing His words, read His words. Obey His words.

Sandy Burdick