As I reflect on many Christmases, I remember the Sears Christmas catalog, (Okay, I’m dating myself), but back in the day Sears would have a special Christmas catalog and one section was devoted to all kinds of toys and other items that children would want. Every year I went through my ritual of carefully looking at each page and circling the many things that I wanted. The excitement grew with each item that I circled and I had an expectation that I was going to get everything on my wish list, which I typically did.
As I got older, I stopped looking at the toy section and started looking at the section for older children. One year when I was around thirteen, I wanted a bedroom set that had a comforter, pillow shams, four large decorative pillows and curtains. I remember asking my mom if she looked at what I circled and she told me that she did but that the bedroom set was expensive. Once I heard that, my expectation went down a notch but I still had an expectation. From that time until Christmas morning, I believed I was going to get what I asked for.
When Christmas morning came, I saw a big box with my name on it. So, that was the first thing I opened. Guess what it was, the comforter set!! As I opened the rest of my gifts, I was still excited but not as excited as I was to see that comforter set.
I said all that to say this, sometimes we have to wait for our prayers to be answered but the key is to wait with a posture of expectation. We often start out with this posture but as time goes on, our level of expectation decreases. Remember, delayed does not mean denied. There is a time and season for all things. So, continue to pray. Be persistent in your prayers, put energy in your prayers, and most importantly have an expectation when you pray. E.M. Bounds said that “the possibilities of prayer are found in its alliance with the purposes of God, for God’s purposes and man’s praying are the combination of all potent and omnipotent forces and prayer is a positive force.”
Christmas is a time to celebrate and have joy because of the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. It is also a time to reflect on how Emmanuel, God with us, has kept us all year through ups and downs, in good times and bad times. Therefore, we can pray with thanksgiving and joy because the Lord has been our peace, resource, source, provider, strength, comforter, and bridge over troubled waters.
My prayer for everyone reading this is that your 2022 will be amazing as God does exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think!!
Peace and blessings to you all!
Min. Julia Tooles
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