It’s All Worship

In the second chapter of Luke, we learn about the marvelous birth of Jesus.  Even in the humble setting of a manger, Mary and Joseph probably looked lovingly at their little bundle and thought he was perfect.  Who doesn’t love the smell of a newborn and the way they just fit within the bend of your arm that has magically become a cradle?  What parents (and grandparents!) have not looked at their little one and thought this is truly a miracle?  But this baby was even more special.

For months, Mary and Joseph knew that this baby had a special call on his life.  He was the Son of God.  He would be the Savior.  This little one would have a major impact on the world.  It was a lot to take in for anyone and everyone.  Consider the shepherds when they arrived.  They were so overcome with joy that they left glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard.  In my holy imagination, I imagine the return trip filled with high praise, signing, and exclamations about how good God was.  You know the same type of worship you might experience at church when the preached word or the praise and worship hits a certain chord in your spirit and you cannot help but lift your hands and audibly praise and worship God with shouts of joy. That’s certainly one kind of worship. One definition of worship is an extreme form of love and to have unquestioning devotion. The shepherds had been told that this day would come.  To experience it during their lifetime must have given them confidence that led to unquestioned devotion to God.

But Mary’s reaction was different but equally powerful.  She adored her baby and the reaction of others to him and she took it all in and pondered these things in her heart.  The Bible says she treasured them.  This means she gave value to how others were worshipping Jesus and she embraced all of it.  In Hebrew, worship means agreeing with God about ourselves and Him. Remember back when Mary first learned that she was to be the mother to the Son of God?  She asked questions of the angel of the Lord but then she settled on “may it be done to me according to your Word.” Mary was coming into agreement with God about the purpose for her life through Him. So here again, we experience a sweet moment of worship where Mary again is coming into agreement with God.

So the shepherds worshipped one way and Mary worshipped another. Yet in the end, it’s all worship. What kind of worship will you experience today?  Set your mind on God and all that He means to you and watch the worship flow authentically.  I pray that you are filled and overflowing in His love today.

Key Verses:

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” – Luke 2:19

“The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” – Luke 2:20