"Pondered Treasures & Piercing Sword"

In this my 24th year of being a daughter of the King, I still get so stunned at God’s ways and His Word…at how they can fall together in a single moment to form something I will forever keep. A treasure.

I was contacted earlier in the week to find a photograph for a certain occasion.

I have five matters in my life completely unrelated that are weighing heavily on my heart.

This morning I have a strong urge to sing “Blessings.”

I remember I need to find that photograph.

(How on earth is this all connected?)

So after pulling up the song on my heart from my desktop and singing about blessings coming through raindrops and healing coming through tears, I go to the photograph albums. Of course, this triggers lots of reminiscing. I come across a picture of Christmas from 1994 and there I am - a babe in Christ, proudly wearing my beautiful rhinestone pin with “Jesus” written in cursive on my Christmas sweater. Life seemed much lighter then. I remember how glad I was to wear His name in the presence of my family. I pondered these memory treasures and realized that back then, I had no idea piercing swords were coming. Then I saw pictures which reminded me of painful times where relationships were different because of my relationship to Jesus. By now, I was familiar with some swords.

As I thought about these memories, there was pain. There was joy. And God, in His amazing goodness, suddenly brought to mind two truths He reveals to us through the one who carried the Gospel as close to her heart as anyone could.

The first is found in Luke 2:19 and tells us that as the world around her encircled her newborn Son, Mary pondered up all these things in her heart and treasured them. She witnessed many unusual events. A Star. Visiting Magi. Prophets and prophetesses suddenly approaching her newborn baby in glee. And this was just the beginning. The second is found in Luke 2:34-35 and tells us that Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary’s own soul. We can easily see this in Herod’s hunt for her baby. This also was just the beginning.

Mary experienced both pondered treasure and piercing sword. I remember the first time I read about her heart being pierced with a sword. Somehow I felt her hurt. It seemed so unfair and bittersweet. But, isn’t this a shadow of every Christian?

Being connected to Jesus brings wonderful relationships and wonderful revelations available only to His own. The thrill of participating in His family, understanding and learning new things …these are just the beginning. These are joy unspeakable and full of glory. Some pondered treasures. But also, being connected to Jesus brings about hard changes in relationships and hard revelations. We walk differently because we are new creatures, and not everyone likes that. Our new heart sees evil in a whole new light. This is also just the beginning. Some piercing swords.

Yet, these are to be our lot in life here on planet earth. Our pondered treasures and piercing swords are not single incidents or phases in life but encompasses our entire journey with God. Both are normal parts of our Christian life.

“Blessings” is still playing over and over on this computer as I type.

“What if Your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights is what it takes to know You’re near. What if the trials of life are your mercies in disguise? When friends betrays us, and darkness seems to win, The pain reminds this heart this is not our home. What if my greatest disappointment or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy?”

I can imagine Mary singing this song.

My, how His Word and His Ways work to speak to us about Him in a single moment. Yes, there are present swords piercing my heart (as I am sure there are yours too) ~ but I just experienced a treasure that I will forever ponder.

Thank You, my Father. My Jesus.


Blog post was contributed by a dear friend who desired to remain anonymous.