Luke 2:18-19

All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

People greeted the birth of Jesus in very different ways. The shepherds were thrilled that they had been given front row seats for this wonderful occasion. It was the last thing that they would ever have believed would happen to them. Having seen the baby just as the angel had promised, they rushed back to their village with the news. The people were astonished. Then there was Mary. Her reaction was very different. She’d had nine months to prepare for this remarkable moment, but even so, she had a lot of adjusting to do. Not only was her way of life completely changed, just as it is for any mother after the birth of her firstborn child, but she also needed to reflect on the awesome implications of bringing up the Saviour of the World. She had a lot to reflect upon, and it’s no wonder that, in Luke’s thoughtful words, “she kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often”.

People still respond to the good news of Jesus in a remarkable variety of ways. For some people, it transforms their life in a moment. When they learn that Jesus can forgive their sins and set them free to live a completely new life, nothing looks the same again. I remember one woman telling me that the change was so great that it was as if she had only ever seen life in black and white. Having met Christ, it was now in colour! For many others, finding new life in Christ is a slow and gradual process. No fireworks, no moments of astonishment – just a slow, gradual change of life and outlook. None of this should surprise us. We are all very different from one another, and God meets us not as a job lot but as individuals with very different backgrounds, temperaments and outlooks.

Question

How did you respond when you first heard the good news about Jesus?

Prayer

Loving God, thank you for the fact that you come to us as individuals, and that you meet our own particular needs. Amen