Christmas greetings everyone. Rob here.
As the year comes to an end, I wonder how you’re interpreting the year that’s been for you? My wife, Kiley and I, were doing this last night as we pondered all that has happened for us this year. We had no firm conclusions except that God has led us through. It’s been a year of upheaval and at times, turmoil. There has been a spiritual battle and earnest prayer. At the end of it all, a new ministry is being born and my trust in God is deeper than it has ever been.
I can only imagine how Joseph and Mary felt when they looked back on the events that came upon them. There was the upheaval of a virgin becoming pregnant, angel visitations, a marriage, a journey from Galilee to Bethlehem and, ultimately, a birth. Then there were mysterious words as shepherds came telling them that angels had come and told them to visit The Saviour, the Messiah, The Lord, who just happened to be in a manger and wrapped in swaddling cloths. After that there was Simeon at the temple telling Mary that her baby will be a sign opposed and a sword will pierce her own soul. Matthew tells us that they then had to flee to Egypt in order to keep the baby safe from Herod’s evil. Now that was a year! How do you interpret that?
There’s a saying that God’s ways are not our ways. How true is that!? God seems to thrive in creating labour pains. The new comes out of suffering and upheaval. You have to agree to the new in the midst of that upheaval. I heard a comment today that God resources you after you have said yes to the new and left the old behind and not before. I can relate! God is patient in his preparation and asks us to join him in his patience. We tend to want answers to our questions and he just wants us to trust him. He wants our yes, and when we give it we discover that trust is the key to the kingdom.
As you look back on your year the big question is, ‘do you trust God more than ever?’ If so it’s been a successful year. If not you have an invitation to respond to. Mary said yes to the angel. Joseph said yes more than once. The shepherds said yes saying, ‘let us go now.’ Does God have your yes? We don’t know what the future holds. Mary couldn’t know that her yes would lead to a cross, a resurrection and a church. Your yes may be more important than you know. The important thing is that we give it.
2019 has been a storm and God was in the storm. After a storm the weather settles and there’s a sense of things starting afresh. The wind changes direction and it brings cleansing and refreshing. It’s time to set a new sail, turn the rudder and go where the wind of the Spirit takes us, trusting that our good God knows exactly where to take us.
Have a blessed Christmas. See you in 2020.
Brand New Heart Ministries 