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

This week is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  It’s difficult for me to imagine what Mary went through as she experienced events leading up to Easter.  Fortunately the Lord laid a remarkable foundation that enabled Mary (and Joseph as long as he was alive) to be rock solid in Him.  Consider the power of these events in their lives.  And let us remember them as well as we walk with Jesus in these days leading to Easter.

Prior to appearing to Mary, the angel Gabriel first appeared to Zechariah, the husband of Elizabeth, Mary’s relative.  Zechariah lost the ability to speak because he didn’t believe what Gabriel told him.  But true to the angel’s word, despite their old age, Elizabeth became pregnant.  After the birth of their baby, Zechariah regained his ability to speak once he acknowledged the baby’s name was John.

Joseph had an angel appear to him in dreams multiple times, giving him instructions on what to do.  The angel(s) also explained both to Mary and then later to Joseph, exactly who this child was going to be. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaimed Mary to be “the mother of my Lord” upon Mary’s visit.

The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds announcing the birth of a Savior, Christ the Lord.  A great company of heavenly host suddenly appeared with the angel praising God.  Then there was the star and the Magi from the east bowing down and worshipping the baby Jesus, “the King of the Jews”.

In Jerusalem they met Simeon and a prophetess named Anna.  The Lord had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. They both prophetically acknowledged who the baby was.

Mary and Joseph were a young couple, newly married and now new parents.  I believe that whatever difficulties they faced then or in the coming years were pale in comparison to the wonder of all that God had given them.  One can only imagine their joy as they shared their stories with one another: Gabriel, angels, babies, prophesies, dreams, stars, Magi and heavenly hosts.  I can see them sitting alone together looking at the sleeping Jesus and saying, “Tell me again…”