God Gives Great Gifts

By now it has become an obvious truth to me: God will surprise you when you least expect it. He has a way of making the ordinary extraordinary. Today as I began my journey home for Christmas, I expected nothing spectacular from my flight. God, however, had other plans.

Passengers were boarding the flight and I had already cozied myself up in seat 7A, trying to make the most of the overly-confined space I was allotted. I had my book out and my currently favorite song set on repeat. I was about to put my headphones in as the woman who occupied the seat next to me walked up. She was with her son and she seemed both surprised and worried to find the seat next to her already taken. 

She spoke aloud to her son about how they were supposed to be seated together. She noted her son's seat was also next to one that was already spoken for, so she couldn't just move up to where he was and claim the other seat. "But we were supposed to be together," she'd say, as if repeating this thought would help her find a solution. She spouted off her concerns in a way which conveyed that their sitting apart wouldn't be a good idea. 

"She's going to ask me to move," I thought.

It was selfish of me, but I hoped she wouldn't. I had no good reason for it either, except that I was already comfortable and I hate the aisle seat. Like I said, not exactly a good reason. Thankfully, the Spirit yanked me out of my self-centeredness, and rather than feel entitled I felt compassion. She was going to ask me to move- I knew it- and if she didn't I was going to offer it. Sure enough, she asked if I would mind switching seats with her son and I kindly obliged her request.

Really, it wasn't a big deal. I figured my routine would still be the same: put in my headphones and sleep during takeoff to avoid motion sickness, and then wake up thirty minutes later to read for the remainder of the flight. I'm not one to socialize much while traveling because I am so prone to motion sickness-it's all I can do to keep from getting sick.

Anyway, I walked over to my new seat and the man next to me offered a friendly "hello" as I got situated. I appreciated that he didn't ignore my existence as many airline passengers tend to do, and he seemed rather nice, so I decided to put off my isolation process for a moment. "Hi," I said. "Are you heading home for Christmas?" (I'm a great conversationalist, aren't I)? 

As it turned out, I never got around to shutting my eyes or putting my headphones in, and I wasn't the least bit disappointed or nauseated. Steve and I talked for the entirety of my nearly three-hour flight, and I was so blessed by it. I think he was, too. My airline friend was a father of three daughters, and he also happened to be a Christian. We spoke of many things such as life, family, school, the book I was reading, and most importantly, God. The conversation inspired me in so many ways, and I really can't do it justice but to say it left me feeling uplifted and rejuvenated. This seat, this conversation, and this man had certainly been a gift from God. 

I so enjoyed that God took what would've been a perfunctory flight and made it into a glorious, delightful present for His daughter. I couldn't help but notice, however, that He asked me to give first.

God does this, doesn't He? He asks us to give and to sacrifice, but He surely has joy to give in return. God asks of us, but always with a plan to give to us. If, though, in those moments we are stuck in our own world of selfishness, we can miss out on such beautiful gifts because we are too consumed with what we are asked to give up. 

I know this story is a silly illustration for this, but I believe the principle is still there. Sometimes God asks us to give up something much greater than the window seat on an airplane, but I believe He always has a purpose and that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him," (Romans 8:28).

God will ask, but He will also give. He has wonderful opportunities and gifts for us, if only we are first willing to give. 

And let me tell you, God gives amazing gifts. 

Rejoice, People. He Has Come

This Christmas season, though still young, has been vastly different than any I've experienced before. There are a handful of reasons for it, I’m sure; one of which is the fact that it’s the first I've spent truly away from home. It’s also the first without experiencing freezing temperatures or any sort of snowfall. It is a season of firsts, that is certain, but what I've noticed most about this particular Christmas season is the great difference in my attitude.

Now, my mom always taught my siblings and me that Christ was the true meaning of Christmas, so I don’t mean to say that I've had a sudden revelation regarding the reason for the season. This year, however, I've been unable to get through a single rendition of Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel without shedding tears of thanksgiving and joy. I haven’t stumbled upon a new realization of what Christmas is all about, but I have found, I believe, a deeper understanding and gratitude.

This probably has something to do with the fact that for the past eight months I've been devouring the Old Testament, reading every day about the history between God and His people, the Israelites. For eight months I have read about how the Israelites continually turned their backs on God, and how God treated them with mercy, love, and compassion in return. I have read numerous stories about how devastatingly wicked these people had become, but how God was always calling them back to Himself through discipline in the midst of it. I have read chapter after chapter proclaiming it was too late for these people whose hearts were too hard, and that God had no choice but to destroy and scatter His people.

“Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth …” Amos 9:8a.

Yet even in God’s act of destruction, I read of His mercy.

“…yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, declares the Lord. For surely I will command and will sift the house of Israel among all nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve; yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground,” Amos 9:8b-9.

Even throughout the entirety of Israel’s betrayal and wickedness, I read of promises about how God had a plan to restore His people.  

“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will reveal to them abundant peace and truth. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on the earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it,” Jeremiah 33:6-9.

Yes, He would scatter His people and desolate the land because of their wickedness, but He would also give a promise of hope and redemption.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, When I will raise up to David a Shoot of righteousness; and He will reign as King and act prudently, and will execute justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, The Lord our Righteousness,” Jeremiah 23:5-6.

If all the verses and symbolism have you asking, “Wait, who is Jacob and where is his house? And what in the world is a sieve?” then let me put it simply for you. God’s people, the Israelites, became so wicked and sinful that God could no longer withhold His anger from them (“I am full of the wrath of the Lord; I am weary of holding it in,” Jeremiah 6:11). He was going to pour it out on His people, thus afflicting and scattering them across the world to be slaves in other lands.  However, because God is full of love and mercy, He refrained from completely annihilating them. Though He still punished them, He promised them a day of healing, restoration, and redemption. He promised to them Jesus.

The Israelites became a people who didn't want God. They hardened their hearts against Him, disgusted Him with their sinful practices, and chose to live in a way that wasn't listening to, seeking out, or loving to God. They refused to repent or turn from their ways, further solidifying their distance from Him. They were so deep in depravity, yet God still entreated them not to be afraid, for He was with them to save them.

They said no to God, and He still said yes.

So He sent to the world His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect and holy life and die in the place of all the transgressions that were committed against Him. He offered Himself up to be punished in the place of the betrayal and the wickedness that once grieved and angered His own heart. Jesus came for His people. God so loved us that He sent us His Son, that once again He could be our God and we could be His people.

Are you getting this? Because simply writing this brings tears to my eyes as I attempt to find words to explain how awesome this is.

Before my eight-month stint in the Old Testament, I would've said Christmas is about celebrating the birth of a Savior who came to die for our sins, and that would have been a fair answer. Now, however, I find such glorious beauty in the first half of that sentence, I could celebrate all season on that simple truth alone: the birth of a Savior who came. It is about the birth of God who came for us. It is the birth of God. It is to celebrate the love of our God who was determined to have us as His own; they will be my people, and I will be their God.

God came for us, you see, and that is what Christmas is all about. God, despite being disregarded, disobeyed, and disrespected, ran after His people who forsook Him. He came to us because He loved us. God came for us, to us. This truth is blowing my mind this Christmas season.

Unintentionally I spent eight months preparing my heart for the coming of Jesus. I metaphorically lived in the world of the Old Testament that was unrepentant and far from the God who loved it. I lived in the longing for a Savior. And now, as I sing the Christmas lyrics, “Rejoice, rejoice. Emmanuel shall come to thee, Oh Israel,” I can’t help but be overcome by tears of thanksgiving and joy, and I rejoice. I rejoice, for it is true: He has come.

Thank you, Jesus, that you have come for us.

And to all of you out there reading this: Merry Christmas.  

“For a child is born to us, a Son is given to us; and all dominion is upon His shoulder; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. To the increase of His dominion and to His peace there is no end …” Isaiah 9:6-7a.