Unexpected

Our pastor’s son and his wife have been married for nineteen years and have earnestly been praying for a child. Over the years, they have received promises from the Lord that He would grant them a child but the waiting has continued. So how does this couple handle their unexpected lot in life? With Christmas around the corner, how do you watch the excitement of children opening gifts when you are desperately waiting for the gift of a child?

There was once a young lady who also found herself in a very unexpected place. “Mary you are going to have a son.” the angel said. We as Christians read this announcement with great joy, but put yourself in Mary’s shoes. This kind of news to an unmarried woman of that day could mean death by stoning. At that moment, the dreams of living a normal life were now turned upside down. In fact, the entire Christmas story is full of unexpected circumstances. The news of a baby to an unmarried woman, the birth in a barn, fleeing for their lives to Egypt.

During this Christmas, do you find yourself in an unexpected place? The season is now in full swing and we see images of lights and trees and gifts and snow and….(fill in the blank). Everyone is supposed to be in a winter wonderland where only fairy tales exist. Don’t kid yourself, the first Christmas was anything but a winter wonderland. It is a story of real people with some real problems!

So God understands the unexpected in your life more than you will ever know. The unexpected in your life is not a dead end but a crossroads. It represents a choice that you will have to make for yourself and sometimes that decision has be reaffirmed over and over again. Often we struggle with the unexpected because we don’t understand the plans that God has for us.

Many years ago at Christmas, me and my sister Sandy opened a big present from our Grandpa and Grandma Blythe, only to find a big long chain inside. You can imagine the look of confusion on our face until we were told that it was for a giant tree swing. Now that was exciting!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 29:11

God promised a child for our pastor’s son and daughter-in-law. Will He really give them an expected end to His promise? On November 18th, Adrian and Jennifer stood up at our church and announced that after nineteen years of marriage, they are expecting their first bundle of joy! A baby girl, due in March.

Friend, I think it’s time we learn to expect God’s best from the unexpected. Our Heavenly Father is the ultimate gift giver. Even thru your hardest times of disappointment, keep waiting and keep believing. He will never fail you! Merry Christmas!!