This week we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent, Although we may not realize it but God’s providential care is available for us and provides for us now and always. God cares and has a plan for each of our lives. To often we find ourselves, confused wondering and watching for things to happen for our lives. We simply don’t know what lies ahead. This week we are reminded that as we watch for the Lord’s coming and to celebrate His birth at Christmas, just as for King David and for Mary in the Gospel, God’s providence leads and guides our lives.
Unlike any other time this concern is at the forefront of our thinking and centering in our hearts. It would appear that we just find ourselves unable and unwilling to wait to see what God is doing in and over our lives. King David today sees that he is living in a tent, and being a man of faith he believes he knows what God needs, namely a house of His own built with cedar and stone like the palace of the king.
You see even though things are going well for David he fails to realize that God does not work in our lives as we think he should nor the way we want Him to do so. You see although David’s faith and heart is good in desiring a house for the Lord God, this is not the plan that God has for Him. It’s is God who will build him a house, not made by cedar nor stones, but a house that will last forever. “I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance.” He assures David of His providential care when he states: “Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’”
In the promises that God makes and keeps with David we find a source of strength and encouragement. Let us not be dismayed nor fall into a place of hopelessness and anger because we don’t understand what’s going on nor how God can ultimately us it for His glory, rather let us place our Hope and Peace in the Love that God has for us shown through His Son Jesus Christ.
I cannot imagine how confused and upset Mary was when the Angel of God appeared before her and announced to her, a young 15 year old girl, that she was going to bear a child. We seem to take this account of the annunciation as just something that Mary accepted. Mary was scared half our her wits when she got this message, but her faith led her to a place of simply waiting on the Lord. She trust the Lord, not what she could see, understand and figure out, she let the Lord lead her because one thing was for sure, namely, God loves her and was wanting to do something mighty and greater then should could have imagined.
““Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Although Mary didn’t understand she accepted. The true person of faith accepts what they can’t understand and leaves it to God. For God knows in His providence what we need, and what will get us to the next step in His plan over our lives. As we approach Christmas be encouraged and don’t loose heart. Be willing to wait on the Lord and you will see a break through. God will break through into our lives because His plan and providence is far greater than we can think or image. Get ready God is going to do great things through You!