And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 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.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. — Luke 2:8-21
It seems like everyone in the story is so perplexed and mystified. The shepherds, the parents, the spectators are all wondering — "What in the living world is going on with this baby?"
And I think what bothers them is that the angelic beings understand something that they do not understand.
Sometimes in life, we don't fully understand the purpose of an event until much later. Therefore we become perplexed by that event. We see an event unfold, and we feel or sense its significance, but we don't understand why it's significant. And just because we don't know why at that moment, this doesn't mean we should brush it off. And this is why Mary responds the way she does. She is aware that this is significant, and what she does not understand, her faith fills in. Her faith in God fills in the gaps for the lack of fully understanding. Therefore she responds rightly by cherishing and pondering. She holds onto these special moments in her heart, remembering with precision every one. And then God along the way fills in the gaps for Mary, one event at a time with:
A son lost on the way home from the temple.
A son who turns water into wine.
A son who teaches with remarkable precision.
A son who heals the lame, blind, and bleeding.
A son who is tortured and dies on a tree for the sin of all mankind.
God is always up to something. He is divinely moving and speaking. And when we don't get it, we should let our faith fill in the gaps. Sometimes these gaps are bigger, and other times they are smaller. But at minimum, let's do what Mary does here — cherish and ponder these things in our hearts. And then, if you can't live with being perplexed, just ask God to give you more faith to fill in the gaps.
ASK THIS: What event have you perplexed today?
DO THIS: Let your faith fill in the gap.
PRAY THIS: God, help me to see you will. I am presently very perplexed by events in the world and my life. Give me faith for the gaps.
PLAY THIS: Give Me Faith — Elevation Worship.
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