This year I accidentally took my own advice and sent New Year’s cards instead of Christmas cards. (OK, to be perfectly transparent… I haven’t actually sent anything yet. It’s on my to-do list!) I say “accidentally” because I actually wrote the blamed thing back in December, but then never had a chance to print it out, sign and address the cards, and get it in the mail. Henceforth and therefore, it is now a “New Year’s” card/letter.
Here’s the blogified version. It’s worth a read, if I do say so myself.
“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21
What if the greatest blessing is not found in the gift that is given, but in the gift that is taken away?
Consider for a moment: the arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was a Gift that prompted the glorious praise of men and angels alike, and continues to be marked in celebration annually centuries later. Yet those who witnessed the coming of this precious Gift were stunned and dismayed when He was seemingly snatched from them before their eyes just a few decades later, apparently without having even fulfilled His purpose on earth. {Or so it seemed to them at first.}
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform, and often, His greatest blessings come not when the gift is given… but when it is taken away.
My DH and I have experienced this firsthand! In March of last year, God gave us what we had been asking for a long time: a better job for my DH, with significantly higher salary, and a security clearance to boot! His direction in our lives was quite clear, and we moved excitedly – and with a little trepidation – to Northern Virginia, after having spent our entire married life thus far in Maryland.
Barely two months later, through no fault of his own, my DH lost his new job. We spent very little time wondering if we had misread the signs leading us to Virginia because God quickly strengthened the conviction in our hearts that He had given us this job for the express purpose of taking it away.
Doesn’t make sense? The mysterious ways of God do not make sense to our human mind, but both Jonathan and I can honestly say, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” We cannot explain to you the joy and the peace that flooded our hearts after the initial shock wore off. We have seen God work in our lives in an amazing way that would not have been possible otherwise. We have experienced God’s grace more personally and tangibly than we ever had previously in our lives, even though we both grew up in Christian homes surrounded by the teaching of the Word.
We are ever so grateful to God for His provision for us (not the least of which is Jonathan’s PT job and my job as a K3 teacher) and His love for us, and that He has not discarded us to live our lives as we wish, but continually draws us closer and closer to Him.
We know also, that just as Jesus – the Perfect Gift from Heaven – was not taken away from us forever {No, He is alive and well and will return in power and glory one day!), and therefore endured the suffering of death and the cross for the joy that was set before Him; so we can endure our temporary suffering here on earth, knowing He has a greater purpose to fulfill within us and through us. We look forward to being useful as clean vessels in His service, wherever that may be and whatever it requires of us.
Merry Christmas!
Happy New Year’s!
Uh… ya know… have a good life and stuff!
(Next Christmas, I promise I’ll be on time!)