Treasuring Christ

December 29

(Luke 2:51b NIV) "But his mother treasured all these things in her heart."

(Luke 2:19 NIV) "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."

(Deuteronomy 7:6-10 NIV) "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. {7} The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. {8} But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. {9} Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. {10} But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him."

Even in her consternation with Christ’s staying behind in Jerusalem, Mary treasured up what was said about her Son, and by her Son. It was a treasure she would need in the years to come when her heart was broken. There is certainly a lot to treasure when it comes to Jesus. We’ve spent this year looking at His many great qualities. But did you know that God treasures you in much the same way? God treasures you so much that He gave His only Son so you could be set free and saved. He has set His affection on you, and has chosen you to be His adopted child. You are His treasured possession! God’s love for you is so great that He laid down His life for you. He laid it down in His incarnation, giving up His place in Heaven for you -- and He laid it down at His crucifixion, surrendering His life to save yours. Will you lay down your life for Him? Jesus treasures you. Will you treasure Him? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day