Happy Advent!
I look forward to celebrating the Christmas season with you all. On Sunday I talked about how God can work in the deserts (Israelites), darkness (Abraham), drama (the sister-wife rival of Hannah) and delays (Hannah) of our lives.
Allow me to highlight some of the main points:
The desert is the BEST time to evaluate what is in your heart. It is the place where our devotion to God is proved and where we learn He is our true Provider. We are preserved in the desert because the desert isn’t where we are meant to stay. We will be taken to the Land of Promise! We must decide not to complain in the desert, but look forward to the place where God is leading.
Times of darkness are the BEST times to grow our faith. We follow the Lord one step at a time. All we need to know is what He wants to reveal. When God asks us to step out in faith, He will make a commitment to us and ask for a commitment from us. During these times, we must hold on to Him and not “forget in the darkness what we knew to be true in the light.”
Times of drama and delay are the BEST time to learn patience and to pray, pray, pray. During these times we must learn to hold on to our desires loosely. We need to “be still before the Lord the wait patiently for HIM” not wait patiently for our answer. As we seek Him, He will sustain us and lift the discouragement and depression that often settle in when we are waiting for something we earnestly want.
Are you walking in the desert? Check your heart. Is God proving you? Can you say He is your Provider? Are you complaining? Start praising Him for preserving you and taking you to the land of Promise. It is going to be better than you could imagine. Are you walking in darkness? Is every step a step of faith? Are you following with unquestioning obedience? Are you okay without having all the answers? Can you trust God to lead you step by step? Are you experiencing delay? Is there drama surrounding your desires? Is the enemy taunting you or tempting you to doubt that God will hear and answer your prayers? It isn’t time to quit, but it’s time to submit to God because He wants to teach you something, give you something or develop something within you. Look past the pain and start looking to God to reveal the purpose for your path. He has you where you are for a reason. Before you seek a way out, seek Him. He knows what He’s doing.
One final note: As our Year of Invitation closes, the Christmas Season is often the GREATEST time to invite people to church. People will attend a Christmas service who wouldn’t attend a regular Sunday morning service. Do you part and invite guests to attend all of our special events! Let’s pray for souls to come to Christ weekly as we worship the King!
Pastor Melissa
