Here is today’s devotion to start your day.
Available now at Power, Love & Miracles:
Saints, Sinners, and Scandals: Star of Bethlehem: Miracle, Message, and Math [PLM+]
Christmas: The Night God Spoke. The Bible Unplugged podcast, episode 67
Sunset’s Dawn, Part 19. Jake opens up to Jen
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Scripture: Luke 2:35
“Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Reflection
This was not the blessing Mary expected.
After the wonder of angels, shepherds, and Simeon’s prophetic joy, a shadow falls over the moment. Simeon turns to Mary and speaks words that pierce: “A sword will pierce your own soul.”
She had already endured whispers, rejection, and the pain of childbirth in a stable. But this was different. This was prophecy about the future—the kind that hurts more than it comforts. Her child, the Messiah, would not only rise… He would suffer. And so would she.
This is part of the cost of loving Jesus.
To hold Him is to hold joy and pain together. To say yes to God’s calling is to also say yes to mystery, sorrow, and surrender. Mary didn’t know all that would unfold, but she bore it in her heart—the ache, the awe, the weight of it all.
Her soul would be pierced but not destroyed. Because what God begins in love, He carries through with purpose.
Your calling may carry pain too. But you are not alone in it. The sword that pierced Mary’s soul was not the end of the story—it was the opening of one that would save the world.
Centering Prayer
Lord of Sorrows,
You understand the pain of surrender. You entered the world with love and did not shield Yourself from loss. When I feel the ache of following You, stay near. Let every piercing become a pathway to deeper union with You. – Amen
Practice for Today
Offer your pain—past or present—to God today, not with a need to fix it, but with the trust that He holds it and redeems every wound.
Journaling Prompt
What sorrow or sacrifice has come with saying “yes” to God—and what comfort does Mary’s story give me?
Blessing for the Day
Be honest in your soul about the pain you feel.
Let your heart be tender without shame.
The God who pierced the sky has entered your wounds.
And He will turn even this into glory.
Pray As You Go
Breathe in: Even this pain…
Breathe out: … You understand
