Grace to you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

No matter who you are, or where you come from, trying to catch a moment of rest in this busy season can be a challenge. Life has its own steady rhythm, shaped by the changing of seasons, but this season, “the most wonderful time of the year” is always a busy one, a hectic one. There are gatherings, extra meals, shopping, and any number of other things that consume time.

Today, I want you to just take pause for a moment. Just stop and take a deep breath. I know some of you are thinking about what still needs to be done, but let’s set that aside for a just moment. Just close your eyes and take in a deep breath. As you breathe in and out, focus on what matters most: God’s presence in this house.

Let me ask something: When was the last time you took a pause like that? Really paused—not just to catch your breath, but to soak in the moment? To allow yourself to reflect, to remember, and to really connect with what really matters?

I want to share a simple truth: Sometimes

We don’t know the value of a moment
until it becomes a memory.

Think back to those moments in your life that have stayed with you: family meals around the table, gathering for Christmas morning, the laughter of of friends and family. Those moments didn’t seem extraordinary at the time, but now, some of them might shine like treasures.

That is what we see in Mary’s story. After the hunt for a place to stay, the activity in trying to get some place clean and ready, the birth, the angels announced the birth of Jesus, and the shepherds showing up to visit, the Bible says, Mary took a pause.

Mary treasured up all these things
and pondered them in her heart.¹

Mary paused in the middle of their busy and overwhelming reality to reflect. She stored those moments like treasures in her heart. In doing so, she found the time to see God’s hand at work.

I want to reflect on three things Mary probably thought about as she took that pause:

1. God’s promises from the past.

2. His peace in the present.

3. His power for the future.

1. God’s Promises in the Past

Think about Mary, sitting in that stable, holding her Baby Jesus in her arms. The Savior, Emmanuel – God with us. Mary did you know…? In that moment, I wonder if Mary reflected on how God’s promises had brought them to this place, this Holy Moment.

It was not an easy road. Mary and Joseph traveled about 100 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, over rough terrain, during the cold of winter. No hotels. No warm meals. No comfort for a woman about to give birth. Yet even in those challenges, God’s promises were being fulfilled.

Think of the things Mary would have grown up hearing: of Adam and Eve, the promises to Abraham, the kings of old, the words of the prophets, and how God remained faithful to His people. Seven hundred years earlier, the prophet Micah declared the Savior would be born in Bethlehem. And now, here she was, holding that very promise of God in her arms.

What about you? Where has God been present in your life? When times get tougher, busier, it’s easy to focus on the negative. Take a moment to think back, maybe to Christmas as a child, or moments in this very church. Do you remember feeling that sense of belonging; like this is where you’re meant to be?

For many these walls hold memories of milestones—baptisms, weddings, Sunday school lessons, days in school. It’s in these moments that God has fulfilled His promise to be with us through all seasons of life.

2. God’s Peace in the Present

After the visitors had gone, you can imagine Mary siting in the stillness of the stable. She looked at her Baby, at Joseph, and at the humble place where they had been forced to stay. In all that chaos, Mary found peace.

Where do you find peace? Maybe it’s the quiet moments at home, or perhaps it’s here, in this church, surrounded by others who share a part of those moments in life that have become memories.

This is something I’d like you to remember:

Peace doesn’t come from everything being perfect.
Peace comes from knowing God is with you
and God is perfect.

Think about this church. For generations, this has been a place of peace, a place where people can pause, reflect, and spend a moment with and in the presence of God. It’s more than just a building; it’s a family.

You see, this church is about far more than sermons, songs or the music. It’s about the connections we have, the memories we share. The handshake as you come in the door. The smile from someone who knows your name. Feeling you are part of something greater than yourself.

That is why gathering together matters. We don’t just come to church for ourselves. We come for each other. When we share these holy moments, they become part of the treasure we hold and ponder in our hearts.

3. God’s Power for the Future

As Mary held her Baby, she probably thought about the future and all its uncertainties. She didn’t know what was coming, all the details, but she trusted in God’s attention, care, and power.

We don’t know the details of our future either. Will our children stay close to home or leave for new opportunities? Will the next season bring enough rain or too much? Will the challenges we face today become the blessings we look back on tomorrow?

Here’s the truth:

The same God who has been faithful in the past
will be faithful in the future.

That’s why we gather here. It’s not because of our faithfulness. It’s not to put on a show. It’s not to make an appearance. It’s not because of our faithfulness. It’s because of His.

A Call to Belonging

This is your invitation. If you’re already part of this church family, take a moment to remember what brought you here: the sense of belonging, the peace you’ve found, the traditions we share, the memories we share, and the shared hope we have in Jesus.

If you’re not yet connected here, let this be one of your Holy Moments. This isn’t a church of perfect people. It’s a church of people walking together, supporting each other, and finding hope in the promises of a perfect God.

Life is busy. Don’t let it pass you by. Make time to pause, to reflect, and to connect. Find peace here each week. Let this be the place where you build new memories, new moments to treasure and pondered them in your heart. Memories that will shine like treasures.

You don’t know the value of a moment
until it becomes a memory.

As we head further into the week take time to reflect. Think about God’s promises in your life. Find peace in His presence today. Trust in His power for what lies ahead. Then remember the Babe of Bethlehem, the Messiah of the Manger, Jesus of Jesse’s tree has come, and is here at Zion on 2^nd Street. and will come again.

That is what being here is really all about.

I pray that peace for you in Jesus’ most holy name. Amen.