Take Away the Badness

I love the conversations that happen in the back of my car while I am driving.  Mostly I just get to listen and hear what my kids say to each other.  One of my very favorites from last week happened just around dinner time.  It had been a crazy day of running errands and we still needed to pick up Rob after a later class, everyone was was getting grumpy and hungry.  Robbie said very dramatically, “Mommy, I’m SO hungry, I’m starving”.  Maddie retorts with enough attitude for a 13 year old, “We’re going to Mcdonalds right now so keep your tummy inside!” Today as I was driving my kids were discussing the reason for Christmas amongst themselves.  Robbie was talking about Jesus coming to earth and asked Maddie if she knew why.  She told him that Jesus came to take all the badness away, like when kids disobey their mommys.  I smiled at their earnest discussion and the simplicity of their faith.  I love the world from a child’s viewpoint. 


This year and very specifically this month I have watched several women that I treasure dearly, weather extreme storms in their lives.  The situations they have faced have been deeply painful and personal.  For the most part you would never know the pain in their hearts or the difficulties they are facing if you met them on the street.  They wear beautiful smiles and go about their daily business without faltering, but I know the trials they are facing are anything but easy.  I have cried with them and for them and have wished that I could take away the pain.  But all of their circumstances are very far beyond my control, they all rest in the hands of God.  To my deep and abiding joy, I have also watched as each of these women despite their pain, have reached out with faith and chosen to trust God’s plan instead of scream at the heavens in frustration.  As I have watched and marveled at their faith, I think the common denominator in each woman’s life was their decision to give thanks.  Each woman has expressed to me as they talk through what God is doing in their life, the things that they can still praise him for.  “I know this is hard, but HE has given me………He has done for me…….so I KNOW I can trust Him” In reflecting on promises fulfilled and blessings given they have reached out and claimed His promises for future hope and joy.  Some of them will pass through this current valley quickly and for some there is no way out in sight, but for all they have staked their hope on His promises and chosen to praise Him even when it hurts. 


Like many of you we made a thankful tree for November and listed on our leaves God’s blessings to us as a tangible reminder to give thanks.  There is power in the simple act of giving thanks.  It removes our eyes from ourselves and fixes them on the giver of all good gifts.  As we close out this month of November, and replace our thankful tree with our nativity scene, I am most thankful for the baby lying in that manger, who came to “take away all the badness”.  We all need that so much.  Thanks be to God that the gift that He gave us is stronger than all of the evil that we face.  The tiny beautiful baby who appeared so helpless was in fact the power of God to break the curse that held us so tightly.  The power to bring joy in the face of pain, forgiveness in the face of hatred, peace in the face of turmoil.  I have watched that power at work in the lives of those I love, and along with them I eagerly await it’s fulfillment when He makes all things new. 


Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
 
 

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