Christmas Sermons

In the last few Sundays, Andy Stanley's Christmas sermons have been particularly poignant to me.  Two weeks ago, he talked about Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist.  Actually several years back, I  read this sort of a Christmas coffee table book called "The Indescribable Gift" given by my sister, and the book introduced this couple in a way I had never read/heard before.  The book and Andy both praised these two elderly people for serving God ever so faithfully while waiting for the Messiah their whole life.  Although they were upright and blameless in the sight of God, He had not bless them with children, which was a cause of HUGE shame during that time.

I guess I never wanted to identify myself with these two Godly people because that meant that I had to accept our infertility. (Btw, I hated this word, and I still have a hard time saying it.)  However, God does finally bless Zechariah and Elizabeth with a son a few months before Christmas whom they name John.  Andy reminded us through his sermon that our faithfulness to God is never in vain.  After waiting decade after decade, and facing much discouragement and disappointment, God does prove to Zechariah and Elizabeth that He is, in fact, trustworthy and that He had not forgotten about them.  It was all part of His grand plan for them to wait and wait and wait!!!  I know a little something about waiting and disappointment.  Like these two, I believe that God has not left me, not for a second.  During our painful and sometimes shameful almost 9 years of waiting and trying to get pregnant, He was probably shaking His head thinking, "When will they be ready to accept MY plan?"

I am so thrilled to know that God will bless us with our "John" in His time.   In the meantime, we continue to be steadfast to Him, who loves to bless His children with good and perfect gifts.  Even when it seems like the "unfaithful" are being blessed instead of us, I must remember Z & E, that our Lord does see our devotion and that it will be rewarded.  Therefore, we keep on fighting the good fight ~ being faithful to Him and living our lives according to His plan.

 

Merry CHRISTmas!!!  ~2010

This might be our last Christmas featuring just the THREE of us! :)