Cup of Christmas: Even If

Hello friend, and welcome back to Strengthen Your Walk. I’m Kim Crabill. Please grab your coffee or tea and let’s sit for just a minute. Join me for today’s Cup of Christmas. It is our special time to stop, be still and prepare ourselves for what God has for us to do today.

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Well, tis the season for gift giving. We know that’s the truth. The children in our lives sure have their lists don’t they? But we strive to fulfill that list. Why? Because we love them so much. But children are not the only ones with lists. We as adults, have things we want as well, don’t we? Here’s the question: What happens when you don’t get what you really want? Or you feel that you really need? Will you be disappointed with God?

Will you feel unloved, rejected, even angry? Will you still serve God even if? Even if there’s not enough money to fulfill everyone’s wish lists this year? Even if your child isn’t healed? Even if the college of your dreams turns down your scholarship application? Even if you don’t conceive? Knowing God is able to give and knowing He may choose a different plan is difficult.

And especially for the Christian like you who’s striving to be so obedient. Knowing that He can save us from hardships, and seemingly chooses to ignore us, can feel so hurtful. Assessing God through our human eyes can cause so much doubt and can make us feel so unimportant. It’s easy to begin to look at God’s way through our own value system. If we as adults give from our love, don’t we expect God to love us enough to fulfill our list as well?

Do you recall Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego of the Old Testament? Their commitment to remain faithful no matter the outcome demonstrated their unconditional love for God and their total surrender to His plan. Facing their “even if,” we see how they responded in Daniel 3:17-18.

There we read “the God we serve is able to deliver … But even if he does not … we will not serve your gods …” Think about Mary, unmarried and pregnant without a plausible explanation. Yet, faithful to everything God asked her to do. Even if people gossip behind our back. Even if Joseph sometimes looked at her with a puzzled expression. Even watching her son suffer.

What difficulties do you face today, my friend? What are you hoping God will save you from? What is on your wish list? I urge all of us to stand strong in our faith knowing that the God who sent you and I a savior, on that first Christmas, is still saving His people day by day in ways we can only imagine. With our human eyes we may never understand His plan. But today we can by faith, trust the one who holds the plan.

Let’s pray.

Dear Father, I don’t always understand Your ways. Probably Mary didn’t either. But like her, I commit today to follow You and to serve You, and to worship You amid all the “even ifs” of life.

Friends, I want to thank you so much for joining me. I pray that our time together will strengthen your walk during this Christmas season.

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