1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:11,959 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi there, and welcome to the Praying Christian 2 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: Women Podcast, where we talk about the deep questions about 3 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: prayer that we're all thinking about but sometimes afraid to ask. 4 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: Whether you're new to the faith or have been a 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 1: believer for decades, this podcast will be your go to 6 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: for biblical encouragement, inspiration, and practical tips to equip you 7 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: with the tools you need to live out a more passionate, 8 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: powerful prayer life so that together we can change the world, 9 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: one prayer at a time. Hey there, and welcome to 10 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: the Praying Christian Women Podcast. I am Jamie and I'm 11 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: so excited to be here with you on Christmas Week. 12 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: So Merry Christmas, ready or not, it is here and 13 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: we are here to give you an opportunity to remember 14 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: that at Christmas, and really the entirety of the Gospel 15 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: and our faith is steeped in this idea of waiting 16 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: and waiting isn't something that we do well, especially as 17 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 1: modern Christians. With technology and gadgets and devices and instant shopping, 18 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: instant delivery, instant answers to questions, instant communication with people, 19 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: We're not used to waiting, and even if we wait 20 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: for little things, sometimes it can be overwhelming and feel 21 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: like it shouldn't be that way because we're attuned to 22 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: instant gratification. That's not the way God works. God's Kingdom 23 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: is all about waiting, and I want to show that 24 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: to you. I want to flesh that out by giving 25 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: you some examples in scripture of waiting leading up to 26 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: the immediate waiting for the birth of Jesus. And waiting 27 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: can be painful, especially if we're waiting for something important 28 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: to us, especially if we're waiting and it feels like 29 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: the silence means that God is either not there or 30 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: worse yet, he's there and he doesn't care. And so 31 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: I just want to give us a little bit of 32 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: perspective because I know I need it, so I'm guessing 33 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: you might too. So before we begin with these scriptures, 34 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: let's open up with some prayer. Father God, we just 35 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: come before you acknowledging that we're not good at waiting. 36 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: We confess our impatience, our lack of faith when the 37 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: waiting seems longer than we would like for your answers 38 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: or your provision, and we just pray God that you 39 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: would meet us where we are, help us to cultivate 40 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: a spirit of trust. Help us to cultivate patience, Help 41 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: us to fix our eyes on Jesus during this beautiful 42 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: few days leading up to Christmas, and just bask in 43 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: the beauty of the Gospel, and let it not be 44 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: lost on us the sacrifice it was for you to 45 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: give us your only son, the sacrifice it was for 46 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: Jesus himself to step down from the throne of heaven 47 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: into a cold, unwelcoming world. He did not come as 48 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: a king in the sense that the world knows kings. 49 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: He came in a stable full of animals, no pomp 50 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: and circumstance. But the angels rejoiced they knew. Helped that 51 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: to be a reminder Lord that your kingdom is a 52 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: beautifully upside down kingdom, where the last are first, and 53 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: the first our last, where those with broken hearts and 54 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: frustrations and anger are met by your loving touch. We 55 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: just thank you for who you are and what you've 56 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: done in Jesus name. Amen. All right, So the first 57 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: story I want to share with you is the first 58 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: promise that God gave. This is from Genesis, chapter three, 59 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: verse fifteen. And I will put enmity between you and 60 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: the woman. And this is God speaking to the serpent 61 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: after he deceived Eve and Adam, and Eve chose to 62 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of 63 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: good and evil instead of every other tree in the 64 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: whole garden. And I will put enmity between you and 65 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: the woman, and between your offspring and hers. He will 66 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: crush your head and you will strike his heel. So 67 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: picture this disobedience. Picture your kid, if you have children, 68 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 1: or a child who has just been told, do not 69 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: touch those cookies on the counter. You can have anything 70 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 1: else in the house, just those cookies are off limits. 71 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 1: And the kid grabs the cookie as soon as your 72 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,919 Speaker 1: back is turned, immediately eats the cookie. What's your response, 73 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 1: Maybe some yelling, hopefully some self control, but definitely punishment. 74 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: Definitely not a good thing. Right. Well, here is God, 75 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: and there are consequences to the fall, absolutely, but his 76 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: immediate response to the fall is this promise which theologians 77 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: and other Christians not sure where they would fall on this. 78 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: This is my opinion, so please don't take it as gospel. 79 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:27,039 Speaker 1: I'm not a theologian, but I believe that God, because 80 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 1: he knows everything, knew that we would all that Eve 81 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: would be deceived. He knew the serpent would deceive her, 82 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,359 Speaker 1: and he already had a plan, and that plan, I 83 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 1: believe was more beautiful than any plan that would have 84 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: ever taken place had the Fall never happened. That's what 85 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: a good God he is. That is how powerful he is. 86 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: He has power to redeem absolutely everything. And even if 87 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 1: you don't agree with my theology that God knew ahead 88 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: of time and had already planned to redeem the fall, 89 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 1: what you can know is he did redeem the fall. 90 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: So whether he knew it or not, whether that was 91 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: the only plan, the best plan, or no plan at all, 92 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: he redeemed it immediately. He did not go in and 93 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: cut them off forever. And this is a very interesting 94 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: thing that I just learned recently. Someone said, if they 95 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,679 Speaker 1: had continued to eat from the Tree of life, after 96 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: eating from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 97 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: if death had not come into the world, they would 98 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: have lived in eternal separation from God. Think about that. 99 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: I have never thought of it that way. So it 100 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: was a gift and a blessing that He cursed them 101 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: to die, and that he put guards at the gates 102 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: of the Garden of Eden. However that looked, they were 103 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: prevented from coming into the garden again, and they were 104 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: prevented from eating from the Tree of life. But it 105 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: was a mercy. It was because God knew that we 106 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: were never meant to live forever apart from Him, that 107 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: we were meant to live with him. And isn't that 108 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: beautiful that picture of grace and mercy and love. But 109 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: at first glance it looks bad. It's like, oh, great 110 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: death came into the world. But what if that death 111 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: was actually to protect us from living forever apart from him? 112 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: That blew my mind. I don't know about yours. And 113 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: that's also just a theory. I'm not a theologian, and 114 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: whoever I heard it from, I don't know their credentials, 115 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: but it sounds very interestingly logical that that could be 116 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: the purpose. So here's God who speaks hope immediately after 117 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: the fall. I want to ask you, where have you fallen? 118 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: And if you have fallen, if you have failed, if 119 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: you had made poor choices, if you've separated yourself from God, 120 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: if you've turned your back on him, and this is 121 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: the first time that you're coming back to listen to 122 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: something about the Bible. Just know He is ready he's 123 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: so ready to bring you back to redeem you, to 124 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,119 Speaker 1: give you a rescue plan. No matter how many times 125 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: you fall, He's there. He's got the rope. He's going 126 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: to send you a lifeline. Just come to him, confess 127 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: your sin, repent, and come to him. He wants you 128 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: so badly. So this was the first promise. The waiting 129 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: begins in the garden because that your offspring in hers 130 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: meaning the offspring of the serpent, which many theologians take 131 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: to mean basically Satan and his minions, and Jesus being 132 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: the ultimate offspring of humanity. And the promise is begun there. 133 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: Before the name of Jesus has been spoken on planet Earth, 134 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: the promise was there. The next verse I want to read, 135 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: the next passage is Genesis twelve, verses two and three 136 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: from the NIV. I will make you into a great nation, 137 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: and I will bless you. I will make your name great, 138 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,439 Speaker 1: and you will be a blessing. I will bless those 139 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: who bless you, and all peoples on earth will be 140 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: blessed through you. So here's two different kinds of waiting. 141 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: You've got. Number one, we're talking about Abram and Sarah. 142 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: Abram was the father of Israel. Basically, he was the 143 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: one God called out of a pagan area and said, 144 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: you will follow me, and I'm going to make you 145 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: the father of countless people. Look at the stars in 146 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: the sky, the grains of sand, that's how many descendants 147 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: you'll have. And Abram just had to laugh because he 148 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: and Sarah were very old, past child bearing age, and 149 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: yet God called them. So there was this waiting for 150 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 1: the child of the promise, which would have been Isaac eventually, 151 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: but the waiting was too long for them. They didn't 152 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: wait for God to prove himself. I personally, as a human, 153 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 1: I give Abram and Sarah credit for even trying to 154 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: manipulate the promise, even having trust that there is a 155 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: promise at all. I mean, they believe God at least 156 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: that there would be a great nation coming from him 157 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: to have to go forward. But they did it in 158 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: the wrong way. They tried to take a shortcut, which 159 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: don't we all, and they took Sarah's servant, Hagar, and 160 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: Abram and Hagar ended up conceiving a child, and that 161 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: was Ishmael, and he was not the child of the 162 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: Promise because he was not conceived in the way that 163 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: God intended, and so they disobeyed. So here we've got 164 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 1: another teachable moment for all of us. In what ways 165 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 1: in your life right now are you waiting and in 166 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: what ways have you tried or maybe contemplated taking a 167 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: short cut. I can't think of a lot of examples 168 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: for that. Maybe just because of the nature of Abram 169 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: and SARAHI and Hagar's situation. I'm thinking of maybe how 170 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: God's design is for us to save intimacy for marriage, 171 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: and maybe you try to take a shortcut and you 172 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: have intimacy with someone before marriage. Or maybe if God's 173 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: plan is for you to marry someone who shares your faith, 174 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: but the first person that comes along and shows interest 175 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: is maybe he doesn't check all your boxes, but you 176 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: know he's someone, and you've been waiting a long time 177 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: and you're still single, and the clock is ticking, and 178 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: you just go ahead into that marriage. I don't know 179 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:38,719 Speaker 1: why all of my examples involve marriage, because there are 180 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: lots of other ones. Maybe a job. Maybe you believe 181 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,679 Speaker 1: God is calling you into a certain profession and you 182 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: are waiting for a job to come around in that field, 183 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: and something else comes along that maybe pays a little 184 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: more than what you're making, and you just decide to 185 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: take that because it came sooner, even though you really 186 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,319 Speaker 1: felt a strong sense of God calling you in a 187 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 1: different direction. The substitutions that we make, they're shortcuts we 188 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: try to take, and these aren't perfect examples. But I 189 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: know that God will speak to you because you know 190 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 1: in your life the times when you've tried to do that, 191 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: or the times right now maybe that you're struggling with 192 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 1: a decision like that, do I settle or do I wait? 193 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: My urging to you is to wait, because if you 194 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: feel like it's too long, it's probably not. I'm just 195 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:42,479 Speaker 1: saying we are people that are used to instant gratification. 196 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: If you feel like it's too long to wait for something, 197 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 1: it's probably not. And if God has promised you something 198 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: or called you to something, he will provide. And I 199 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: know there are all kinds of rabbit holes we can 200 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: get into with okay, but what if I don't have 201 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: a job and I need job and I need money 202 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: to provide for my family. That is where the Holy 203 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: Spirit comes in. But let me just say, where there 204 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: are decisions to be made, I think number one, pray, 205 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: just ask God for wisdom, ask the Holy Spirit to 206 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: come alongside you and direct you and guide you. There's 207 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: a verse that says, as you go, you'll hear a 208 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,959 Speaker 1: voice behind you saying, you know, turn to the right 209 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 1: or to the left, this is the way. Walk in it. 210 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,199 Speaker 1: I totally butchered that, but you can look it up. 211 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: It's you can google something like, when you turn to 212 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:35,599 Speaker 1: the right or to the left, you will hear a 213 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: voice behind you saying, this is the way. Walk in it. 214 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: And that's the Holy Spirit. So invite him in to 215 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: these decisions. The good news is we may not know 216 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: where God's leading us. We may not know to whether 217 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: to wait or to go forward, and we might make 218 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: a decision that's the best we can do with the 219 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 1: information we have. God is bigger than all of it, 220 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: and so God is a redeemer. So even if you've 221 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: settled and taken a wrong turn, even if you've made 222 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: poor choices and there have been consequences to those choices 223 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: that are less than ideal, God is a redeemer. That's 224 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: the theme of all of these things. God is a redeemer. 225 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,959 Speaker 1: So if you've made a mistake, don't run away from God. 226 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: Don't be ashamed and hide your face from him. He 227 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: wants you to come to him. He wants you nothing more. 228 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: He wants you as you are, and he wants to 229 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: work in the messy middle of whatever you're involved in, 230 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: whatever you're going through, to bring about the absolute good 231 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: for you and for those who are called according to 232 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: His purpose. And you can bank on it that he 233 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: is wanting to He's just ready to work. So the 234 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: bigger picture of that promise was not just the waiting 235 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: for Sarah to conceive or Sarah at that point, but 236 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: the promise of the Messiah down the road, the big family, 237 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: and then the Messiah that would come through that. Because 238 00:14:57,640 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: it says I will bless those who bless you, and 239 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: all peoples on earth will be blessed through you, and 240 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: that blessing through the people of Israel. They were not 241 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: set apart just to be elitist. God had a plan 242 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: all along for them to be nurtured, to be his people, 243 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: to be a city on a hill, to be an 244 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: example in many different ways of godly living and of 245 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: the way things should be living by the law that 246 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: set them apart from those around them, but also to 247 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: point out that the law was impossible to follow and 248 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: to provide a way for the Messiah who would fulfill 249 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: the law. He didn't release them from the law, he 250 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: didn't abolish the law, but he fulfilled it for them 251 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: for us, so that everyone would be able to be 252 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: brought back into the family of God. So another time 253 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: of waiting that I think is just really an example 254 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: for us and very applicable to our prayer lives is 255 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: hope during the long silence. So we have Isaiah chapter seven, 256 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: verse fourteen. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. 257 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: The Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, 258 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: and we will call him Emmanuel. Isaiah chapter nine, verses 259 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: six and seven. Four to us, a child is born, 260 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: to us, a son is given, and he will reign 261 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 1: on David's throne and over his kingdom from that time 262 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: on and forever. And then you've got Micah five to two. 263 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: But you, Bethlehem, Etha, out of you will come for 264 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins 265 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: are from of old, from ancient times. So you've got 266 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: all of these prophecies. But then you have what are 267 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: called the silent years between the time of the prophets 268 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: and the actual advent. Of Jesus on earth, and it 269 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: was four hundred years. There were four hundred years between 270 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 1: the life asked prophet Malacho and the writing of the Gospels. 271 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,160 Speaker 1: There was no new prophecy. There was no divine revelation. 272 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: There was no burning bush anywhere, no conversation with God 273 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: that we know of, at least not recorded in the Bible. 274 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 1: But God's people kept hoping, they kept practicing their faith, 275 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: they kept imperfectly pursuing God, and He kept right on 276 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: being there with them. I am here to tell you 277 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: I have been in times where I have felt like 278 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 1: God was absolutely silent, like he had left me. I 279 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 1: couldn't sense his presence, I couldn't hear any guidance. I'd 280 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,400 Speaker 1: open my Bible and it just all fell to dead ears, 281 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: like I just didn't feel like any of it was relevant. 282 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: I would pray and I'd feel like my prayers were 283 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: hitting the ceiling. If you're feeling that way, or if 284 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: you felt that way, you need to remember that there 285 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: are times of silence. We need to get comfortable with 286 00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: silence again. We are used to instant communication with everyone us, 287 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: but God is on his own timetable, and we need 288 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: to practice faith and remember that God is who he 289 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 1: says he is. Whether we feel it, whether we feel him, 290 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,439 Speaker 1: whether we hear him, whether we see any evidence of 291 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: his work, he still is who he says he is. 292 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 1: So we need to remember during those times God is 293 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: at work. He does hear our prayers, He does work 294 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: in our lives, and it might be invisible, it might 295 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: be under the surface where we can't see, but He 296 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: is working. This reminds me of a time several years 297 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:43,919 Speaker 1: ago we had an earthquake in Alaska and it was 298 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: pretty devastating. Nobody died directly. I think there might have 299 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 1: been one person that had secondary a heart attack related 300 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: to events during the earthquake and ended up dying, But 301 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 1: other than that, I did not hear of any reports 302 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: of death or serious injuries. Even but it was a 303 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 1: seven point one earthquake and it was pretty devastating to 304 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: a lot of the infrastructure. And our home was actually 305 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 1: the ground liquified because we were on some unstable ground. 306 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: It liquified and our house sank a little. It sounds 307 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: a little bit more dramatic than it was. To look 308 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 1: at the house, you wouldn't really know except for there 309 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: were about and when I say sank. It was like 310 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: six to nine inches on one side and like four 311 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: inches on the other side of the foundation. The foundation 312 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: remained intact, but it basically just kind of like sank slowly, 313 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: and to the point where our kids loved getting marbles 314 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 1: and bouncy balls and putting them at one place in 315 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: our house and they would roll downhill our house. The 316 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: foundation wasn't damaged or compromise, so we were able to 317 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: keep living in the house. But it was over a 318 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: year before we even were able to procure a disaster 319 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 1: alone and you know, get a FEMA grant and start 320 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: getting our house raised and leveled, and it was we 321 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: didn't know. There was so much uncertainty. So this happened 322 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 1: in November and Christmas was right around the corner. So 323 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: I remember sitting in our living room with the kids, 324 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: and I was feeling very depressed, and I didn't know 325 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 1: if we were going to be able to save our house. 326 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: I didn't know if it was fixable yet. I didn't 327 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: know if we were going to be able to afford 328 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 1: to fix it, or if we were going to have 329 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: to let it go and start from scratch, renting somewhere 330 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 1: and lose all of our equity. I didn't know anything 331 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 1: at all, and so I got out. It was Ann 332 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,199 Speaker 1: Vos Camp has this really cute and I mentioned it 333 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: in other episodes recently, this really cute thing, and I 334 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:53,159 Speaker 1: think it's called unwrapping the Greatest Gift or the miracle 335 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: of the Blessing of the Greatest Gift. I'll try to 336 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: link to it in this. But it's a little book 337 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 1: and you open it up and it has a tree, 338 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 1: like a sort of lacy looking paper tree that folds 339 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: down when you close it. And when you open the book, 340 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: it's a pop up of a tree and it has 341 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: all these different branches. It's like a Christmas tree. And 342 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: there are little paper ornaments for each day of December. 343 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 1: It's an advent calendar, and you pick it up and 344 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,159 Speaker 1: read the verse and it tells the story of the 345 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 1: gospel leading up to the birth of Jesus from Genesis. 346 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: It's so cool. And so we were on the ornament 347 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 1: where Abraham takes Isaac up the mountain. So speaking of 348 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: Abram and Sarah spoiler if you don't know, they had 349 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: a son together. His name was Isaac. He was the 350 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: child of the Promise. After these years of waiting for 351 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: a son, and then Isaac at one point gets to 352 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:55,479 Speaker 1: a certain age and God says, Abraham, I want you 353 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,120 Speaker 1: to carry him up to this mountain and sacrifice him, 354 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: and talk about throwing you for a loop. Not only 355 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: had this promise come to be, and you know that's 356 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,200 Speaker 1: a miracle in itself, but then to have it taken away, 357 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,120 Speaker 1: I mean, just the feelings of puzzlement that Abraham must 358 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: have had at that point. And yet he walked and 359 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 1: Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice on his own back, 360 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: which again could be taken as a foreshadowing of Jesus 361 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:33,720 Speaker 1: carrying his own cross. Anyway, to make a long story short, 362 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 1: I was feeling hopeless, and I just said in my mind, Lord, 363 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: I don't feel like Christmas right now. I don't feel celebratory. 364 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if we're going to have a home 365 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,719 Speaker 1: at all. I don't know anything. I was so confused 366 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: why this happened, and how it could happen, and what 367 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: we were going to do. And one of our kids 368 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: read that verse about Abraham taking Isaac up the mountain 369 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,719 Speaker 1: and how he got to the top and there was 370 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: a ram in the bushes and it had gotten its 371 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: horns tangled in the brambles and bushes, and that was 372 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: God's provision. That was the lamb that was given in 373 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: place of Isaac to spare his son. My mind, at 374 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: that moment, I believe it was a download from the 375 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,400 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit. I didn't hear a voice. It wasn't anything revelation, 376 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: but it was just a knowing. I just thought, how 377 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: many years did it take for those horns to grow? 378 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: You know how a ram's horns are in a like 379 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 1: semicircle and grow around. That's what I'm picturing got stuck 380 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,160 Speaker 1: in the bushes. And how long did it take those 381 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 1: bushes to grow up on the mountain to be thick 382 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: enough to tangle into those horns and to capture And 383 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:59,880 Speaker 1: how long was God working behind the scenes to provide 384 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 1: for Abraham and ultimately to provide for us, Because if 385 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: Isaac had been killed, that would have been the end 386 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: of the promise, that would have been the end of 387 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:14,119 Speaker 1: the nation of Israel. So I just encourage you, like 388 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: I was encouraged to think about the fact that even 389 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: before you knew to ask for what you need, God's 390 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: working behind the scenes. He's growing the bushes, He's growing 391 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: the ram's horn He's orchestrating things very perfectly, so that 392 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,160 Speaker 1: Abraham and Isaac made it to the top just as 393 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:38,399 Speaker 1: that ram was being caught in the bushes, not a 394 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 1: day late when maybe it had gotten free or eaten 395 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: by some animal, not a day early before he had 396 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: a chance to get tangled, but precisely at the right time. 397 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: So I would encourage you take heart. God is working 398 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 1: even in the silence, even when it seems like he's 399 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: asking you to endure something that seems unthinkable. He is there. 400 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: He is at work. And then there's this four hundred 401 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 1: years of waiting. That is some waiting right there at 402 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: that point. I was born in the bisentennial year of 403 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: the United States. I was born in nineteen seventy six, 404 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 1: so that's two hundred years after the formation of our country. 405 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 1: That was a long time. I mean, that's generations. And 406 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: then add another two hundred years after that. At that point, 407 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: do you start to wonder, did we dream this up? 408 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: Are these stories of deliverance of Moses delivering Israel from slavery? 409 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: Are these stories of the Promised land? Are the prophecies? Like? 410 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 1: Is it made up? You start to wonder that with 411 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: no further revelation from God. And then we come to 412 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: the fulfillment, the ultimate fulfillment, and that is when Mary 413 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:11,479 Speaker 1: has chosen to bear the son of God. But the 414 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 1: Angel said to her, this is Luke one, verse thirty 415 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: to thirty one. But the Angel said to her, do 416 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: not be afraid. Mary, you have found favor with God. 417 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:22,400 Speaker 1: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and 418 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: you are to call him Jesus. The promise moves from 419 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 1: a prophecy and kind of this open ended to an 420 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 1: actual person. God chooses Mary. To my knowledge, there was 421 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 1: nothing super special about her. Now. I do remember from 422 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 1: my Old Testament and New Testament theology classes in college 423 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: that Mary and Joseph their genealogy could both be traced 424 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: back to David. If I'm not mistaken, I feel like 425 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:55,680 Speaker 1: there are two genealogies in there. Don't take my word 426 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:57,920 Speaker 1: for it. Again, not a theologian, I think I got 427 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: to be in the class, not an A plus, so 428 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 1: double check me on that. But I think both sides 429 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:06,640 Speaker 1: of Jesus lineage could be traced back to David. And 430 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: basically he chooses this unlikely young girl, this guy who 431 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 1: isn't rich or famous or anything else, and he places 432 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: them as parents for Jesus, and then there's waiting. Mary's 433 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:27,120 Speaker 1: told you are going to give birth to a son 434 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: and name him Jesus, and then what what do you 435 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 1: do with that? I mean, let's take ourselves out of 436 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,159 Speaker 1: the place of having heard this story a thousand million 437 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: times and let's just think, what if this happened to you. 438 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: What if you legitimately encountered an angel that told you 439 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 1: that you were pregnant with the Son of God. Who's 440 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 1: going to believe you? Are you going to even believe you? 441 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,400 Speaker 1: Are you going to trust yourself that you experience something real? 442 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,639 Speaker 1: And then you start to feel this baby growing and 443 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 1: you get the signs that you're pregnant without having ever 444 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 1: been with a man before. I mean, this is unbelievable. 445 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:10,399 Speaker 1: This is unbelievable suspense. So when you look at this 446 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 1: story what I love I love the Nativity Story. I 447 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: feel like that movie really makes Mary and Joseph so 448 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:23,120 Speaker 1: real to me. It fleshes out this idea of what 449 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: it would be like if this really did happen, and 450 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 1: there's this true suspense of not only will no one 451 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 1: believe you that you just weren't a loose woman, but 452 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,919 Speaker 1: your fiance. I mean, what is he going to do? 453 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 1: He had the right to stone her to death, and 454 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: it was just by the grace of God that he didn't. 455 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: So that's suspense and that's waiting. So in Luke chapter one, 456 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: verse thirty eight, I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered, 457 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 1: may your word to me be fulfilled? That is faith. 458 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: That is faith, and just absolute courage, honestly, And doesn't 459 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 1: it take courage to step out in faith? Not that 460 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: she could have really done anything about it at that point. 461 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: I mean, if God tells you you're going to have 462 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: the Son of God, like, there's really no way out. 463 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: But Mary says, may your word to be to me 464 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 1: be fulfilled? And then Luke two nineteen, I love this one. 465 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 1: But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them 466 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: in her heart. Have you ever been there where there's something, 467 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:30,360 Speaker 1: some knowledge that you've been given, an intimate time with God, 468 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: a new truth that you've gleaned, some new information that 469 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: just warms your heart and fills you with wonder and 470 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 1: the hope of what could be, And you just sit 471 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: there and you just mull it over in your heart 472 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: and your mind. That's what she was doing there and 473 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 1: Mary was waiting. She was waiting physically. If I was Mary, 474 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 1: I probably would question was I Trippin'? Was this actually 475 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 1: an angel? Am I pregnant? She was waiting for the 476 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: physical signs of pregnancy to see if this was true. 477 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: She was waiting emotionally, she was waiting to see how 478 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 1: this was all going to pan out. She was probably 479 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: pretty scared. She was waiting socially, she was probably ostracized 480 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: and ridiculed and whispered about. And then spiritually she had 481 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 1: to be wondering why me. She was a very young girl, 482 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: and she basically is carrying the hope of the whole 483 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 1: world in her body, and she probably didn't even realize 484 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: the extent of it at that point. I don't know 485 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: if she understood the context of what this was and 486 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: what He meant for the world. But God fulfills his 487 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: greatest promises through quiet obedience, through surrender, through courage, and 488 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:53,520 Speaker 1: being obedient even when it's hard, and waiting, even when 489 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: there seemed to be ugly consequences in the short term, 490 00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: waiting for God to untangle it and tease it out 491 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: because He will. So I don't know what you're going 492 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: through today as you wait on our Lord and our Savior, 493 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: or as you wait in a different arena of life. 494 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: But know this, God is a redeemer of all things. 495 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 1: Anything that's in the past is in the past. There 496 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 1: is nothing that can't be redeemed. It doesn't mean there 497 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: aren't lasting consequences. God's not going to wave a magic 498 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: wand and rewind time for you so you can choose 499 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: something different. But He will bless you where you are 500 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 1: when you surrender what you have, like the loaves and 501 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: the fish. You take this mess that you've made of 502 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: your life. I cannot tell you how many times I've 503 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: done this and said, God, I messed up. Take it, please, 504 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: and he multiplies it and he blesses it, and he 505 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:55,440 Speaker 1: turns it into a feast for people, for innumerable people. 506 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: And he'll do that for you, I promise you. Let's 507 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: pray God. We praise you for being a redeemer. We 508 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 1: praise you for being a God who does what he 509 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: says he will do, and we stand on that no 510 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: matter what. We just confess that we are impatient people, 511 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: and we pray just for glimmers of hope along the 512 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: way when we're at the end of ourselves, when the 513 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: waiting is just too much, that you would remind us 514 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 1: that you're still there. Increase our faith, help us to 515 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:29,800 Speaker 1: wait with more grace and more dignity, and more faith 516 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: and more courage. Thank you for your son, Jesus. Thank 517 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: you for the hope beyond hope. We just pray that 518 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:41,479 Speaker 1: this time with you would stay with us and that 519 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 1: we would come away just filled to overflowing with gratitude 520 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 1: and hope and peace and love that we can share 521 00:32:50,480 --> 00:33:00,239 Speaker 1: with everyone around us. In Jesus' name. Amen, do you 522 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: love true crime but feel like it's a guilty pleasure 523 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: because of the swearing and explicit content. If so, I 524 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 1: can't wait to tell you the good news. Alana and 525 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: I just launched our brand new podcast, Christian True Crime Junkies, 526 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 1: a squeaky clean crime show for believers. Each week we 527 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: bring you unforgettable testimonies of survival, stories of justice, and 528 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 1: tales of redemption and yes, sometimes plain old murder, always clean, 529 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: always from a Christian perspective. Listen to Christian True Crime 530 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 1: Junkies today wherever you listen to podcasts, and don't forget 531 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: to follow us. New episodes come out every week and 532 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 1: you don't want to miss out. We'd like to take 533 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:49,600 Speaker 1: just a quick second to thank the team at life 534 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. If 535 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 1: you go to lifeaudio dot com you will find dozens 536 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got 537 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:02,120 Speaker 1: shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and so much more. 538 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 1: That's life audio dot com.