“…God does not forget our prayers. It is in the fullness of time that he answers them. He answers in that rich kairos, when to answer at all does the most good for the most people!”

-Walter Wangerin, Jr.

“Your prayer has been heard,” this proclamation to Zechariah must have been so comforting. Not really, it seemed to confuse him at first, and then provoke uncertainty. Really, he says, how can this be? He can see his circumstances. It was as if he was thinking, “This prayer should have been answered years ago. Are you kidding me?”

I am in a situation right now, where I am pretty sure God has answered my prayer, but the circumstances leave me wondering how this answer is going to end up for good. I wanted provision, and he has provided wilderness. I asked for protection, and the person I prayed for is precariously safe. I have asked for healing, and more pain pours down.

The true answer that God gave Zechariah and Elizabeth was not just a child, but grace, for that is what the name John means “the grace of the Lord.”

Is grace enough? It should be, but often I act like a spoiled child pouting until I get more. Will I trust in the gift of Advent- Immanuel- or will I keep selfishly demanding what I want instead of trusting God’s goodness? Am I patient enough to wait for an answer that “does the most good for the most people”?

“Isn’t is a wonder…that the mere presence of the divine destroys our sinful selves and all we thought defined us, but that the Word of the divine consoles us, relieves us, forgives us, and raises us up again?”    –Walter Wangerin, Jr

This morning I was ushered into the trembling glory of the Lord through Zechariah’s encounter with the LORD when he was offering the evening incense. I marvel at how another person’s story can move me, especially when told by a seasoned storyteller like Walter Wangerin, Jr. He sets the backdrop of all the time leading up to this moment in Zechariah’s life, carrying us along with expectation to the unexpected encounter with the glory of God. This scene is even more poignant when you think that God had been silent for 400 years up to this point in Israel’s history.

The first words spoken through God’s messenger were “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.” (Luke 1:13 NIV) Words of comfort, calling him by name and answering a long sought after desire.

Just at the right moment, God reveals himself to us. And as we revisit the Christmas story this year, let us not miss the fact that divinity intersects humanity in a way only God could imagine.

“Every present moment is well-rooted in the past…. God, you see, is God of history: weaving its past and its future together; designing the times by overseeing the intricate patterns of human events; granting meaning to the whole of humankind, and thereby making any single moment, also, incandescent with meaning.” -excerpt from Preparing for Jesus by Walter Wangerin, Jr

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate a holiday year after year? What is it in the remembering that comforts us or brings us joy? As we approach Christmas, we pull out our traditions and our favorite cookie recipes. We gather those around us that we love, those we desire to share moments of awe and peace.

From a spiritual perspective, I enjoy revisiting the story of Christ’s birth because it reminds me that He doesn’t change. As The Message puts is “he’s always totally himself.” I love that phrasing, and as my family grows up,the boys are 19 and 21 now, traditions are changing and some decorations remain in the attic, but the truth of God with us never changes.

Let’s cling to His unfailing, unchanging love this season.

Earlier this year Finlay Fields, a band that our son drums with, wrote a song about the never changingness of Christ. Click on the band name to check out the song titled: All You’ve Done

As we enter the Advent season, I want to take time every day to reflect on the amazing fact that God Almighty has arrived among us, and makes Himself known.

Sometimes I get bogged down with doubts and fears. When I feel that way, the best place to go is God’s word. The recorded Scriptures lead me back to truths that I can depend upon. A couple weeks ago, I came across the repeated phrase “we know” in I John 4. Those two words boosted my faith. I do know some things, and I can count on what we know.

The first assertion that caught my attention was this: “…we know and rely on the love God has for us.” (1 John 4:16 NIV) Not only can we know God’s love for us, we can rely on it! If you go back and read the whole chapter, this statement summarizes John’s assertions about God’s love. The other thing we can know is this: “We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” (1 John 4:13 NIV)

We know that God loves us. We know that we are partakers of His Spirit through Jesus Christ. We know that we can come to Him boldly with our requests. Let’s walk in that knowledge today.