So, they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 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 2:16-20)
In Karen Kingsbury’s novel, Longing, Bailey Flanigan was in the Broadway cast of Hairspray. She led a Bible Study for the cast. Gerald, a castmate, was baptized. Kingsbury writes: “alive to the new self. … he raised both fists in the air and shouted out loud: ‘New life. I have new life!’” Gerald was amazed, outwardly.
Bailey Flanigan was a mother of Jesus. Christ had been born in her for many years. When Gerald was baptized, Kingsbury writes: “Bailey couldn’t stop her tears. She brought her fingers to her lips and laughed quietly, overwhelmed by the joy of it all. … This was real life, and for Gerald the run of the show had just begun.” Bailey was overwhelmed inwardly by joy.
The shepherds didn’t walk to Bethlehem; they hurried. They had to see their Savior, sent by God. When the shepherds found their Messiah in a manger, they traveled throughout Bethlehem telling everyone about Jesus. They were amazed. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was overwhelmed by the joy of it all. She “treasured up” the events of Jesus’ birth and pondered them in her heart. We react to the birth of Jesus both with inward and outward expressions of the heart when we realize God keeps his promises. The birth of Jesus came about exactly as God’s messenger had told the shepherds, and the Old Testament prophesies concerning our Savior came alive.
Away in a Manger by Anthem Lights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wy8LNHhLPM
My heart is filled with JOY when I think about the birth of Christ. Our Lord, Our King, Our Savior! Joy to the world our Lord has come!