This isn’t what I pictured.

A dad was sharing recently that he wanted to give his wife some time to shop. So he took his kids for about an hour or so. Their youngest of the three children was a daughter who spotted the horse-drawn carriages and begged to go on the carriage ride. Her brothers didn’t want to go on that ride. BUT, she convinced her dad that he should do this for her. Within a few minutes of the carriage ride, his daughter began to complain. Her lower lip slid forward in a pout that was about to spout, tears formed and she started crying. Chaos erupted within the carriage as her brothers started to complain. Soon the boys were shoving and tearing at each other. The dad reminded his daughter that she insisted on the ride in the first place. Between her sobs and complaining she said, “This isn’t what I pictured.”

Sometimes life can take us on a ride. And, yes, we signed up for it and yes we agreed to it. Originally, there was an idea of the way things should be…but once we get into the carriage things may not be what we pictured and we have to adjust our perspective. I hear this a lot lately, "OH, I believe in GOD! But, this isn’t what I pictured.”

Where did you get your picture?

Was your picture given to you by previous generations of expectations? Maybe you saw the life you wanted in a movie, posted as a picture on social media, in a glossy magazine or you pictured in your mind what life would be like if… There is a danger in thinking someone else’s life is filled with good things and never bad. It’s like watching the highlight reel of a movie thinking that is their real life. Most of us don’t realize there is a lot of footage on the cutting room floor of the editor’s suite during the movie production process. Most editors confess the footage on the floor is actually the ‘good stuff’ when it is held in context. We diminish faith by only wanting the highlight reel. We picture in our minds the way things are supposed to go and then build our expectations on what we believe. YES! We agree totally that Jesus came at Christmas. We already know that story of how Jesus came—that’s the highlight reel. We can picture it! But, consider all the footage on the editor’s cutting room floor. THAT is where the ‘good stuff’ truly is.

We often forget there was significant activity before the arrival. Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man—the Logos, existed before He appeared. John’s gospel tells it like this: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

Does my script match scripture?

There is evidence of a plan—God’s plan. “I know the plans that I have for you,” (Jeremiah 29:11) There seems to be something at work, something called a plan but it’s not what you pictured. No one ever told you there would be violence, danger and heart break. No one ever tells us that life is going to be hard and we will all struggle. No one ever tells us the afterward. What does ‘and they lived happily ever after’ really mean anyway? We also discover that 'God also works all things together for our good'. (Romans 8:28)

Wait. Stop. God has to work at making things good in our lives? Yes. This means God is at work as we experience hardship and a lot of other things along the way. What is hope if we never experience hardship? The idea of Immanuel—God with us—means that He is with us for the journey through the valley all the way to the mountain top. But, there often seems to be a discrepancy between our plan and God’s plan. This is often where faith goes to die. Death couldn’t have the last word. So, God made sure that Death didn't have the last word.

Why did Jesus come?

We saw something we wanted so we took a ride. We signed up. But, once we got into the carriage, the ride was not what we expected or wanted. The ride wasn’t what we pictured. The ride took us in the direction of sin and death. Not what we pictured. A lot of bad came out of that choice. Chaos erupted. We tore each other apart. Our every inclination was toward evil. (Genesis 6:5) God had to work 'all things’ out for our good. There was significant activity before Jesus arrived. We may know how Jesus came…but maybe this year we discover why.

Why did Jesus come?

YOU.

You are Jesus’ why. You. He gave it all up—for you. The significant work was done for you, for me and for everyone who would believe. We made our choice and Jesus made his. The amazing light that came into our world at Christmas was motivated by love. There is a plan—an amazing plan for your life. It begins with making Jesus Lord of your life and serving him as your Savior. May you find the love of Jesus this year at Christmas and make room for him to be your Lord and Savior.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Jen

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17