The Beginning
I had no idea, but this night would be the beginning of so much more. God had given me the grace to put one foot in front of the other for 365 days since the tragedy hit my home. He was now giving me the tangible experience of a Truth I had been standing on faith to believe: that God wouldn’t waste what happened. What the enemy meant for evil, God intended for the saving of many lives.
Release.
At the beginning of the year, Hayes and I were invited to attend a family retreat with Hope Family Care Ministries. It was our first experience to be in a setting with several other families who were also acquainted with deep grief. I watched Hayes bravely step into his personal story of loss.
Sunshine & Rain
A friend of mine told me about a precious moment from her personal time with God. She was praying and soon found herself lost in her words. Her heart cried out with gratitude to God, “thank you for this suffering, because it has brought me close to your heart.” When the words came out of her mouth, she paused. It caught her off guard for a moment. Was her grief beginning to shift? Was her perspective changing? How could she hold gratitude for the long suffering of her husband’s battle with cancer, his death, and a grief journey for herself and their five small children?
Does my friend’s story teach us what it’s like to give thanks with all of our heart? To tell of all God’s wonderful deeds? How do we cultivate a heart like that? A heart that overflows with gratitude for all that God gives us: the sunshine and the rain.
Beholding the King
The prophets foretold of a king. A king who would be righteous and victorious (Zechariah 9:9). God’s people waited. Much of the waiting was in darkness. Earthy kings failed them over and over again. When there was devastation all around, Isaiah prophesied, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine” (Isaiah 9:2).
Their longing was deep. Then 400 Silent Years came where there were no new prophets to reveal anything about the coming Christ. Darkness fell and it was silent. God’s people needed rescuing.
With great intensity, they longed for a rescuer. I think it’s interesting to notice who had eyes to see that Jesus was the Messiah in the Christmas story. Who were the ones still watching and waiting with expectation? Many had given up. Many had chosen to numb the pains of waiting by choosing their own way. Many took their eyes off the promise.
Then there were the faithful ones.