Advent Reflections

December 9th

“All things work together for good…” Romans 8:28

Mary was incredibly young when the angel of the Lord appeared to her. What an awesome task God called her to! I have always admired Mary’s ability to submit wholly to God’s plan, knowing very few details. The call came and Mary responded. Her life as mother to God’s Son would be exciting and heart breaking, but she would never look back.
Back in October 1996, a tornado would go through the yard of our home in Florida. It pulled parts off the roof and uprooted many large trees on our property. I remember the feeling of panic that gripped our hearts when we heard the tornado coming. We tried to get all the children into the downstairs bathroom. By the time we were in the bathroom the tornado had plowed through the yard, but by God’s grace jumped up and over the house. When Terry and I first looked out our front door at the mess we were overwhelmed. It would take weeks to clear the trees and debris.
The tornado would be used by God to speak to us. As we worked in the garage a couple weeks later, Terry and I would look at each other at the same time and say, “We will be moving soon.” For years we had felt we would move back to Pennsylvania. Now a tornado would prepare us to let go of our life in Florida to move on to a new life in Pennsylvania.
May the unexpected, even what appears devastating, be used for good in your life. Sometimes it is a matter of letting go, like Mary, and accepting God’s will.