Tuesday, December 19, 2023
“I Don’t Know and That’s Okay”
Just six more days and we’ll arrive at Christmas! The creeping clock has crept by very quickly this year, and these next six days will be no slow-running faucet. It’s an important six days for lots of reasons, not the least of which will be the blessings that God brings.
I am mystified by the different methods God uses to bless us. Sometimes we can predict it. Most of the time, however, God’s special gifts arrive in surprising and unexpected places and circumstances. I think if we backed out of our situations a little, we might see that God’s choice and timing of blessings actually make sense.
Christmas is God’s provision of a gift that we could never have expected. The gift of Jesus Christ was the right gift; God’s timing was perfect. The world didn’t recognize what God was doing, nor did the world recognize the kind of gift that God was offering to us. It wasn’t until many, many years later that people began to understand what God was trying to do, and still many disagreed or refused it (and still do!).
As a pastor, some might refer to me as a bit intense in regard to theology and church. In some ways, God is more of a mystery to me now than ever. But here’s the difference between my viewpoint now and my opinion many years ago: I’m comfortable in the mystery. Although it’s not my natural tendency to accept something without knowing all the details, this is one piece of my life where I’ve become totally comfortable: God does things on my behalf that don’t make sense! Christmas is much the same: God made a homemade gift to bless me, you, and everyone.
You are probably a whole lot smarter than me, but I’m guessing that you don’t know it all, either. That’s why Christmas is so special. To receive the meaning and purpose of Christmas, we must trust that the LORD has given us what we need. God didn’t give the world a tie, electric blanket, or fruit cake for Christmas. Instead, God gave us a Savior because God loves you (and me) enough to want us to live with Him forever. We don’t have to understand all the Hows and Whys. All we need to accept is this: God thinks you’re special enough to put you in this world so that you, too, can make a difference.
Christmas might seem to contain more questions than answers, but the solution for me was to accept God’s work as a beautiful mystery. Oh, I’m not finished with my questions. The “Why”, “How”, and “When” of Christmas are near the top of my list of questions for God. However, for the time being, I’ve figured out this much: I Don’t Know and That’s Okay.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined…For a child has been born to us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.” (Isaiah 9:2, 6-7a, NRSV)