December 30 – Luke 2:33-35. Good News. Bad News.

December 30 – Luke 2:33-35. Good News. Bad News.

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

This is what life does to us, isn’t it! One moment you hear great news and within a heartbeat, that news is replaced by something that is difficult to hear.  It doesn’t diminish the greatness of the original news, but our hearts are rarely strong enough to remain excited after we hear something awful.

We don’t get a chance to know Joseph and Mary’s reaction to Simeon’s follow-up, but most of us can imagine it in great detail.

Jesus didn’t let that part of the story affect Him as He began His ministry, though. He didn’t worry that His work would hurt His mother or that people wouldn’t accept Him.  He wasn’t concerned that there would be those who spoke out against Him or that He might be rejected because He exposed the hearts of people.

Jesus walked in confidence, knowing that He was doing the work of His father.

While we don’t know for sure what happened to Joseph, we do know that Mary remained a part of Jesus’ ministry through His resurrection and there are stories that she lived with the apostle John in Ephesus as Jesus’ ministry on earth was extended through Him.

Her soul may have been pierced at the physical loss of her son, but she didn’t allow that to change the awe and wonder that had been hers from the moment the angel announced to her that she would bear God’s Son.

Jesus was to bring forth the salvation of the world. There will never be enough bad news to deflate the excitement that news brings to us.