What I am going to do right now is just share a couple of journal pages with you I wrote this morning. These words brought tears to my eyes. I don't know if they will touch your heart as they did me, but I am sharing because I hope they do. And if they do they will be a present to you too. They probably are a bit scattered in thought and possibly they will make no sense to you. But I'll share anyway So here we go:
"I wait for Thy word." Psalm 119:74b
"in hope against hope he believed." Romans 4:18a
"with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God."
Romans 4:20
Christmas morning -- children wait eagerly for it. The parents have prepared and they are excited themselves to see their children's delight on Christmas morning as they unwrap their gifts. Parents could give presents early, but then part of the joy wouldn't be there. And the fulfillment of the expectation would be gone.
I wonder, Father, if this is a bit how You feel when You're working things out in our lives. If we wait for You and Your Word to be fulfilled You are delighted to see our reactions to how You so wonderfully worked it out.
We take away a blessing, a joy from the Father when we don't wait on Him. And we take away an opportunity for our relationship with God to be deepened.
For the Father, wait for Him.
For the Father, hold onto Him and keep believing, no matter what, believing He will come through. Do this for Your Father in heaven. This will bring Him joy.
"And without faith it is impossible to please Him for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6
I've always read this verse in the sense that Father is sitting in a big chair somewhere with His arms crossed and a scowl on His face. He looks down at His list and says, "You didn't believe. I'm very disappointed in You."
But that's wrong. Father God is the one who runs to us.
"his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him." Luke 15:20
Father God, You are child-like in Your love for us. You aren't a harsh taskmaser. You are the Father who will run to me to get to me quicker. You are the Father who loves His wayward child and when that child turns back to Him he says, "We'll fix it. It's going to be okay."
You're the Father who believes in His kids and You are sad when we go our own way because You know the consequences we will have to deal with. Oh Father, thank you for loving me. Thank You for running to me when I falter. Thank you Father for doing all that is possible and impossible so I could be Your child.
And that is where the entry ends. May you be blessed. May you and yours enjoy each other on this Christmas morn. May you and yours realize how much you are loved and rest in that. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.