Luke 2:19 reads: “But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean.” - Luke 2:19 NET
Mary
What does it mean to treasure and ponder in her heart?
What did Mary treasure in her heart? Let us answer the question what she treasures first, then we will answer what it means.
Let us count backwards some of the things she treasured:
• She was just visited by a group of shepherds.
• Elizabeth told her how she is pregnant with child at an old age.
• She remembers how an angel and come to her to tell her should be pregnant with the Messiah
• She remembers how an angel came to Joseph to tell him to marry her.
Later after Jesus was lost in the temple for three days, Luke said it again. “Mary treasured these memories.”
She knew this little baby in her arms is special and she treasured those memories.
So, what does it mean to treasure and ponder? While the Bible doesn’t say, I think it the following:
• As Jesus slept as a baby in her arms, she remembered and prayed for her little baby.
• Every night she would stand at the head of his bed and pray for God’s guidance.
• When Jesus came running home because the other children teased him for being a baster child. She reminded him how special he is.
How do I know this? Because of Jesus reply when Mary and Joseph found him after being lost in the temple for three days. Do you remember the story?
Jesus Lost in the Temple
Jesus was twelve and Joseph and Mary took him for the first time to attend the Passover. When Passover was completed, Joseph and Mary traveled for a day before they discover Jesus was missing. They went back to look for him. Three days later they finally found him with the temple priests and scholars. Let’s read the interaction in Luke 2:48-51.
“When his parents saw him, they were overwhelmed. His mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” But he replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Yet his parents did not understand the remark he made to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things in her heart.” - Luke 2:48-51 NET
Jesus told his parents that he is special. Where do you think that came from? It came from Mary telling him every day that he is special.
Mary treasured and pondered these things in her heart.
Mother’s Pray Everyday
As he grew, I’m sure Mary prayed for Jesus every day. When he was a teenager. As his profession was a tekton - which is a day worker. When he went into ministry. Everyday Mary prayed for his son.
I’m sure your mothers do the same for your children. My mother tells me all the time that she prays for me every day. She prays for me, my brother and sister, her in-laws and all her grandchildren.
Mother’s Prayer Carry Special Powers
Did you know that a mother’s pray carries special powers? Yes, a mother’s prayer is honored by God in a special way. How you say?
This has to do with God’s anointed authority structure. Let’s turn to Eph 5:22.
“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body.” - Ephesians 5:22-23 NET
Then further down, Paul tells the children:
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” - Ephesians 6:1-2 NET
There is a hierarchical structure that God has ordained. Jesus is on top, then the husband, next the wife and then the children.
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” - Romans 13:1-2 KJV
Some of the modern version translated this to governmental power but that is not what it says in the Greek. The King James Version actually has it correct.
We are supposed to follow the God ordained authority structure. This hierarchical structure is not only a structure of authority but also a structure of protection.
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” - Hebrews 13:17 KJV
Those that have authority over you also has the responsibility to “watch your souls”. In-other-words, God holds parents accountable to the children’s deeds. With that accountability also come privileges. And one of those privileges is the prayer of a mother. God hears the mother’s prayer and God honors that mother’s prayer. Why? Because God has placed the responsibility on that mother.
Dr. Samuel
Dr. Samuel had tickets to fly from Bangaluru, where he lived, to Thiruvananthapura (tee·roo·vuh·nuhn·tuh·pyur·uhm) in India. He was going to be the key note speaker at a physician’s conference. He boarded the plane. The plane took off but as night fell the weather became more and more violent. The pilot announced they will have to land at Cochin as the airport in Thiruvananthapura is closed due to the violent weather.
He decided to hire a taxi. The driver promised they will arrive at the convention in plenty of time. It was past midnight by the time they got started.
A few hours later, they driver wakes him up and told him it was impossible to proceed. The weather is just too bad. They spot a small hut that still had their lights on, so they made their way to the house. A young lady answers the door and lets them in. She was pre-occupied with her prayer. When she finished her prayer, she turned to entertain them. At the far side of the room was a young boy. He looked very sick, so the doctor asked what is wrong with him.
The mother told the doctor he was very sick, and the local doctors could not take care of him. Her husband had gone to Thiruvananthapura to a doctor’s conference find this doctor that could help her son. They had heard that the doctor will perform surgeries on the poor for free.
Dr. Samuel said: “I am that doctor. I will take care of your son.”
That morning, the mother, the son, Dr. Samuel and the taxis driver all got into the car. They went straight to the hospital to perform the surgery. After surgery, Dr. Samuel walked on stage, a few hours late, to give his keynote speech.
A mother’s prayer is powerful.
Aunties
What if you do not have any children anymore or if your mother is no longer with us? God provides provision for another person to be an adopted mother. And if you do not have children, you can also find someone that needs prayer and adopt them as your son and daughter.
“Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” - 1 Timothy 5:1-2 KJV
Paul tells us that we are to treat older women as our mothers. If we treat them as our mothers, they have gained the authority given by God to mothers.
George
I had a friend when I was studying at PUC call George. He was a big black man and a religion major. One evening he told us his life story.
When he was a teenager, He was second in command of a gang of 300 in the inner city of Philadelphia.
As he was showing us his battle scars he said: “See here is my bullet wound. And here is my knife wound. If you can think of a crime, we did it. I lived in an apartment owned by a Christian lady. Every day she would say to me, I am now your mother and I am praying for you.
Every Sabbath morning, she would ask me to go to church with her. Finally, after two years of begging he went to church with her in my drugged out state. The next Sabbath, I went to church with her again. On the third Sabbath, gave my heart to Jesus.”
The power of an adopted mother’s prayer can be just as powerful.
Korean Pastor’s Wife’s Dream
A few years ago, at a North American Korean pastor’s conference, one of the pastor’s wife asked to speak for morning worship on the last day for their conference. She said:
“I wanted to better understand God’s love, so she asked God to show me His love. That night I had a dream.
I dreamt the New Heaven and the New Earth had come down. Walking around the New Jerusalem I arrived at the big huge wall of the city. The wall is transparent like glass. I looked outside towards the rolling hills of green pastures. As I was looking, a small shadow started to form. The small shadow was growing. The shadow was not a shadow but rather it was million upon millions of people coming to attack the city. The shadow soon became images and then faces.
Among the faces I saw the face of my son. I looked at him and he saw me through the great wall. I placed my hand on the wall and my son placed his hand on the other side of the wall. He mouthed something to me. After a few times, I figured out he was begging me to let him in. I look up to find someone to let my son in. As she looks up, a sea of fire consumed those outside the wall. I woke up in own sweat.
Then I heard God say, you have only one son I have the world.”
Mothers, your love is great. Aunties, your love is great. Grandmothers, your love is great. God is with you. He loves as much as you love. God wants you to pray without ceasing for your children.
A mother’s prayer has power. Your prayer is powerful. Do not forget it.
**** Song - Mother’s Prayer by Rachel Aldous - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re5EIUIXbhc ****
Conclusion
Mothers, today is your day. We want to honor you. If you do not have any children, you can adopt a child. You have a calling to pray for your children. You have the authority to pray for your children. Come to God’s throne with boldness and ask God to bless, protect and convict your children.
A mother’s prayer is eternal work. Never forget that...
