It's pretty much March, which means it's practically almost Christmas. So why not talk about last Christmas? Last Christmas was a time of great unrest for me. I was in the midst of a big decision and felt all the days long like I was just holding my breath and waiting to see what was about to happen. My days are so busy and so full that I feel like I don't even have time to breathe. I didn't think the decorations would go up. Somehow they did. I didn't think I could pull off all the traditions. Somehow I did.
It's that time of year again . . . the time when we light the candles. I almost didn't put them out this year. "Maybe they're over it," I thought. "Maybe they're tired of doing the same thing advent after advent." But then Ellie told me I had to. And . . . she was right.
Mary and Joseph, the manger, the angels' gloria, the shepherds and magi, the Babe in a manger. It's all so . . . familiar. There's never been a time in my 40+ years that I didn't know it. There's also never been a time in all those years of knowing it that I didn't believe it, didn't question it. Because it IS. Just like He is the I AM.
And, yet, as familiar as it is . . . the same thing year after year . . . as soon as the first candle is lit . . . it seems so brand new all over again. I don't think I've ever been filled with such awe, wonder, humility and gratitude as I've experienced this year.
For the first time, I am struck with the simple fact that this is IMPOSSIBLE . . . a baby being born of a virgin . . . impossible! Yet, I've never questioned this impossibility, never doubted it. Ever. In 40+ years never. I mean, it doesn't even sound impossible at all because it. is. God. And. that's. Who. God. is. He does the impossible and makes all things possible.
I've never questioned or doubted God-in-the-flesh. So why would I question or doubt anything else God has promised? Why would I question or doubt that God is at work in that really hard place, that impossible situation in my life . . . that He is working to make it POSSIBLE?
I took the above picture the second Friday night in December. It was the only night in the middle of almost four weeks that no one had to be anywhere else. I told Ellie we needed to leave the candles lit for just awhile longer.
"Blessed is she who BELIEVED, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord." ~Luke 1:45
Circa 1994. We sang this at our Christmas concerts. When we started our church tour the following spring, everyone begged us to include it in our concerts. So we did. Every time . . . it didn't matter how many times we'd already sun it . . . Joe sang the high part on "He is God's Son," and people would stand to their feet, hands would raise high in the air.
But now . . . it brings me to my knees. There's a blank page in my Bible between the last verse of the Old Testament and the first verse of the New Testament. That blank page represents 400 years.
Of silence.
For 400 years, there was no new word from God, no new prophecy. They were simply waiting on Him to do what He'd already promised to do. They were waiting on the Messiah to come, the One who would save us from our sins. I've often thought about how dark that silence must've been.
And then . . . the people who were walking in darkness got to see a great light . . . Jesus, the promised Messiah, was born. I'd like to think the entire earth exploded with a ball of light once Jesus took His first earthly breath.
Because it had been so dark for so long. And then . . . light. I think the only "explosion" into that darkness was the heavenly host of angels that made the grand announcement to a group of lowly shepherds.
The darkest of ages are DONE. For the Savior of heaven has COME! In our waiting, we should be watching with great anticipation and expectation, in our waiting and watching, we should be worshipping . . . He is coming again one day. What hope, what joy!
Speaking of light and candles, we worshipped together as a family again this year at one of our favorite candlelight service.
And then, just like that, it was time to take it all down and put it all away. But just for a little while. I have a feeling that when it all comes back out in a few months, it will seem all brand new again.