Christmas Eve Peace like Never Before- Truth is a Beautiful Present The meaning and power of Truth has beautifully come upon me during the last and greatest week of the Christmas Advent season. Its refreshing words fell like fresh fallen snow calling a serene quietness upon a stormy winter day. In the midst of a world falling apart around us, and peace seeming something of dust in the air upon our world, the Spirit reminded my soul there is peace. It is alive should we choose to believe in the Giver of Peace and surrender our longing ears to hear His words. Isaiah, the prophet of old, named Jesus the Prince of Peace, and later even further exclaims there will be no end to His peace. It shall last forevermore and the “passionate commitment of the LORD of Heavens Armies will make this happen”. (Is. 9:7) I woke up the morning before Christmas Eve hearing a voice in my head audibly speaking comfort to my soul as I exerted effort to wake to another day. Words so pleasant singing like a sweet song on a pleasant wintery day echoed beautifully. All was quiet except for the rumbling of little footprints above my head, which seemed to suggest “time to get out of bed”. As I lay there still sleeping in between two worlds colliding, I couldn’t escape the sweet words that seemed to repeat ever so softly over and again in my dreamy sleepy head. They sung in rhythmic melodies as such: “My peace I leave with you…My peace I give to you…Not as the World may give…Do not let your heart be troubled…And do not be afraid… My peace I leave with you…My peace I give to you…Not as the World may give…Do not let your heart be troubled…And do not be afraid…” Over and again the song played as I awoke refreshed and renewed to another day. To greet me ever so sweetly was my little Andrew ready for Mommy to help him with his needs for the early morning. Never did I realize that on Christmas Eve, was I to spend its dark quiet morning hours repeating that sweet song once again in my head as I lay down to sleep as a lullaby to send my restless soul to sleep. The Truth I was being reminded of would be my salvation in a greater time of need later that I did not even know was coming. This time, not all tucked and snug in my own bed, nor my own warm cozy home lit with lights of Christmas glow, but in the starchy white sheets of a hospital room next to my little Christmas princess. Instead of watching lights flicker on our family Christmas tree at home on the morn of Christmas Eve, I laid watching her sleep to the lights of her vital signs monitor with muffled sounds of occasional nurses bustling past outside our big wooden brown door. When Truth Became a Beautiful Present A fever before bed caused us to pack our bags, and off we drove to the hospital at 12-midnight Christmas Eve. This was our fourth wearisome trip in only six days. Ben and I were wishing each other a ‘Merry Christmas’ under the lights of downtown Atlanta driving further from the comforts of home and our other four children. We are learning the powerful necessity in this journey to lean on gratitude in light of our misfortunes and struggles. We actually are realizing it is the only method of survival- living just one moment to the next becoming completely saturated with life in the moment however terrifying or frightful it might be. I love the Scripture where Paul announces to the Church at Philippi that he had learned how to be content in whatever circumstance he found himself in. Later, he tells them the “secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need”. (Phil. 4:12) And what’s his secret? He realized that his total portion and peace was found in only one place- in the One who strengthens him, who is Christ Jesus the Lord. As Ben and I waited for hours in the ER for test results to appear, the Spirit began to remind me of the song of peace that He sung quietly in my mind the morning before. I found my mind fighting a battle wanting to be home and not in the hospital again, especially now on Christmas Eve. Yet, the song kept singing and my eyes were opening, my heart was strengthening, and my mind was being renewed even in my hour of greatest weakness and fragility. I was not awakened from deep sleep on my own effort the morning of Katheryn’s fever. I was awakened by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was singing me Truth as I awoke for that new day. He was giving me new mercies to face what I did not know lay ahead of me. He was already preparing me for the trial and struggle physically, mentally, and spiritually I was now facing. Paul knew the secret, and so do I. Christ in me is my strength and promises no matter what to be Peace for me and to strengthen me with His peace. Oh, I praise the Lord that I can rest in His peace knowing there is a Presence so much greater than I can imagine that goes before me in this journey. Truth prepares me for whatever struggle or challenge lay ahead next. Our midnight trip to the hospital turned into an overnight stay. Katheryn’s blood counts have been at there absolute lowest in all her treatment. Her fever required 2 doses of antibiotics and overnight monitoring to make sure she was not falling prey to a greater infection we could not see. Ben drove home from the ER after we were admitted at nearly 4:00 am Christmas Eve. As I tucked sweet Katheryn into bed for the rest of the early morning hours, I trusted my dear husband to the Lord for safe travels home to unit with our other children. The last place I thought I wanted to be was in that cold hospital room lying on a hardened bed with cold sheets with sweet Katheryn, yet it was the perfect place for me to be. In the last few minutes of early morning just before the sun’s rays fell fresh upon earth lighting the world for Christmas Eve, the Spirit began once again speaking to me of peace. Yet, this time it was in a very different way. Before my body fell exhausted to sleep, the Spirit of Truth drew me close to the heart of Mary, Jesus’ Mother. As I tucked myself in those starchy white sheets in the darkened hospital room, the Spirit took me to the place of Jesus’ birth. As I thought more about Mary, my feelings about my own struggle seemed to almost disappear. It’s impossible not to think of her during this Christmas Advent season when we celebrate Jesus’ life. She was His instrument used to bring His life to us on earth! She too was far from home in a cold darkened place, yet she was giving birth to a child who was to be her deliverer one day. Her son was born a mighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords, yet she was also lying on a hardened bed watching her baby boy lying in a dirty feeding trough for animals. As I pondered her heart and tried to reconcile my thoughts with hers, I was drawn to almost tears as I felt not even a modest taste of her environment. The King of Kings born so long ago in a cold darkened cave was also born to be my Prince of Peace, my giver of peace, a peace that the world does not understand. Peace immediately feel upon me as I lay safe with Katheryn in that hospital room on Christmas Eve once wishing to be somewhere else. All of a sudden, I felt at home and knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. The Angel Gabriel came to Mary so long ago and told Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, the power of the Most High would overshadow her, and that a Holy Son of God would be born to her. Was not the Most High overshadowing me? Was not the Holy Spirit upon me in my hour of need? Amazing that the Lord gave Mary advanced Truth through Gabriel to stand firmly when she would face potentially weakened knees and wavering heart in future challenges as she waited upon her son’s birth. Mary’s strength of belief in the God Most High causes my heart to ponder and I pray for many days to come. What is the depth of my own belief? And how do I deepen that belief? She was able to rest completely within the depths of her soul as she delivered in a cold place not at home. Truth is a treasure and a gift given freely should we choose to listen. Her response to Gabriel should blow any of us away and has really ministered to me in this hour of my journey while watching my little baby girl struggle for her life. Mary confidently responded, I am the Lords servant. May everything you have said about me come true.(Luke 1:38) What an amazing woman who trusted in her Lord and His promises to an incredibly difficult and fearful unknown future! Even when she must have had moments of doubt trusting in the impossible, Gabriel already had assured her that nothing will be impossible with God! Oh, this Truth sings in my heart like never before as I get to trust that the Lord sustains life in my baby girl and raises her to new strength while the chemo wants to kill her as it works to heal. I am thankful I was taken to the heart of Mary as I caught just a tiny glimpse of what it must have been like for her so long ago. The Spirit was reminding me in those quiet moments that another Mother was once in a place far from home- even in a greater place of potential fear and most definitely greater discomfort. Mary chose to stand upon the Words of God spoken through Gabriel. She claimed the promises she knew of her God Most High passed through stories of ancient days she grew up hearing. How awesome to be able to stand upon the same profound Truth upon which Mary trusted in her heart to be true! So also I will stand this very day. Holy Spirit, thank you for your words of Truth spoken during this precious Christmas season. What a gift they have been. I am strengthened with the peace that the world will never understand. The same Peace that Mary was clothed and drenched with on the night she gave birth to our King of Kings, Lord of Lords, our Prince of Peace! Truly, it is amazing to fathom our most treasured gift, the beautiful Word of Truth in greatest time of need.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 03:38:37 +0000