But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. —Luke 2:19

Between the angels and the shepherds, there’s a whole lot of praising and glorifying going on in the Christmas story. But in the center of it all we see Mary, still and serene. Treasuring. Pondering.

Here’s what I take from this.

There are appointed times to go tell it on the mountain. But there are also appointed times of intimacy with the Almighty.

I savor the times when my heart is full, when it’s just me and Jesus. When a sense of his loving presence softens my spirit like a bowl of warm soup on a cold day. When my heart responds and my breath quickens and my joy is so complete I know I’m in on the miracle. I’m part of his love story.

This serenity usually comes when I’m paying attention, alighting on me like a dove in that moment when something happens that makes me certain he is real and present and sovereign over my life.

Sovereign over my daily demands; when I sense him replacing my to-do list with just two words: Trust me.

Sovereign over my finances, when he meets my needs at just the right time, in a way I never could have anticipated or devised.

Sovereign over my health, when I remember that this body, which has begun to betray me, is just a temporary model.

Sovereign over my kids’ lives, drawing their hearts to him in his own creative style, in spite of the ways my parenting has fallen short.

Whenever it appears in your life that Jesus is not winning, whenever it seems as though he’s not triumphing over your enemy, just at that point and at that time, you need a very robust and clear vision of God’s sovereignty over you and the horrors of your life. -John Piper

Lord, I’m paying attention today. I know that even in the middle of the chaos, you have peaceful moments planned for just you and me. Moments for treasuring and pondering.

*Hey friends, as 2016 comes to a close, are you reeling from the snowball effect of challenging life events? Could you use some more peace of mind and joy of heart? I hope you’ll join me as I reflect on John Piper’s daily Advent readings. In the days leading up to Christmas, you can receive these 25 short daily reflections direct to your email inbox. Just scroll down and look for the “Stay Connected” or “Subscribe by Email” box to follow along! Also, you can find and download John Piper’s “Good News of Great Joy” here. As the season ramps up–and your plans go wonky and threaten to derail your focus, ugh–I pray that your heart, soul, and spirit will be blessed and refreshed with a tangible outpouring of Christ’s heavenly peace!