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• Jacqui Parker • December 15, 2020 •
Then came the “silent years” – over four hundred of them – when God said nothing…there were no visions, no prophecies, no miracles, nothing.
Some grew tired of waiting. They gave up, bitterly concluding that God had forsaken them. Some tried to bring about their own deliverance through religious or political reform. Others simply got caught up in the dailiness of living. They had jobs to do, bills to pay, kids to raise. They were too busy for what must have seemed like fairy tales or wishful thinking. Nothing even remotely miraculous had ever happened in their lifetime – or their parent’s or grandparent’s or great-grandparent’s. It was as hard for them to believe the supernatural stories of the Old Testament as it can be for some today. A few watched and waited. And waited. And waited.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son…” (Gal. 4:4, ESV)
A Family Guide to the Bible, Christin Ditchfield, 32-33
As a mom, the Christmas season has regularly brought with it so much stress. Even though I’ve never been a “Pinterest” mom, the desire to get just the right gift to light up your kid’s eyes, create a warm and festive atmosphere, while staying in budget, and meeting all the regular needs of the family can be overwhelming. Not to mention the customers who appear out of the woodwork when they realize they still have money in their budgets that they don’t want to lose – so all of the sudden work piles up as well. Add in directing the Christmas Pageant, and it could be too much.
Even so, every year a song would come on, or a Bible verse would be read, and everything would come back into focus. The quote at the beginning of this post from A Family Guide to the Bible refocuses me every time I read it. I picked up that book a number of years ago on a whim and discovered that it has a wonderful 13-page overview of the whole story of the Bible. I used to start every year with the preteens by reading that summary, and every time I would get to that passage, I would have to pause to wipe the tears from my eyes. “But when the fullness of time had come…”
In the Bible, we are told that Jesus calls us friends. It’s unimaginable but true. Sometimes we get so comfortable with that picture, it can be hard to remember that He is the Alpha and Omega.
The beginning and the end. It can be easy to shrink Jesus down to a baby in a manger – a 12-year-old boy creating panic in his parents – a man who walked on the earth just like us. Even as we enjoy the friendship of Jesus, the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and the love of the Father, let’s not forget the AWE.
Awe that even when it feels like there is no hope left, He is our hope. Awe that even when it seems we are unlovable, He still loves us. Awe that even when it seemed like His plan to walk in relationship with mankind was thwarted, He already knew what He was going to do to restore us. Awe that the creator of the universe whose vastness is incomprehensible, created us and knows our name. Awe that the plan to redeem us included coming to earth as a tiny, helpless baby.
Just like the people who lived in the in-between – the time between the end of the prophets and Jesus – we can get so busy and tired. It can be easy to forget that we too are waiting. Those of us who know Jesus, accept His gift of salvation, are bestowed His justification, and daily walk out our sanctification – will one day receive glorification. We will meet Him face to face, and He will wipe away every tear.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV)
Read it again – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. This Christmas season, don’t forget to be in awe of our Great God and His grand story.
Yea, Lord we greet Thee, born this happy morning
Jesus, to Thee be glory given
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord!
O, Come all Ye Faithful – John Francis Wade
(Check out my joyous, favorite version from Pentatonix available on YouTube)