Vantage Points

This past week I had the delight and privilege of performing in one of our church's Children's Ministry productions that retells the Christmas story through hilarious videos, a huge cast of puppets and amazingly talented young dancers who serve as our children's worship team. In the midst of memorizing lines and late night rehearsals followed by an onslaught of seven performances in addition to my already very hectic holiday season and work load, I was struck with a thought.

The character I played in the show was discovering, at a rather remedial pace, the story of Christ's birth. In the apex of the show, she finally pieces together all the elements - Mary was told she would conceive a son, shepherds saw angels who proclaimed the birth of the Messiah, a star led wise men to the newborn King of Kings. Often, it is in moments that I'm in the middle of teaching that unbeknownst to the listener God is actually teaching me. This was one of those occasions. I stood in the spotlight recounting the details before the crowd and suddenly realized something: not one of the parties involved on that fateful night in our salvation history had the luxury of the full picture of the events!

Maybe that seems rather obvious, but think about it: The wise men only knew they needed to follow a star, the shepherds only heard the angels proclaiming Messiah, Mary stored up the beautiful prophecies pronounced about her son in amazement. Each had his or her own compartmentalized role, knowing nothing of the many and miraculous others. It was not until much later that all of those parties came together in a linear story for us to enjoy and recount.

So often in life, we want the whole scoop from God regarding our own circumstances, don't we? We want to know what He's doing and every move He's making on our behalf. We get so frustrated because we can't see everything that's going on and so we often mistake that limited vision for inactivity on our Lord's part. We throw up our hands in impatience and frustration because we feel entitled to have the knowlege of the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, and even the camel if it can make us feel like we're somewhat in control! All the while, the Lord longs to remind us that, far from the main point of the story, it's simply not all about us. We tend to look to ourselves as the heros and heroines of the plot, while truthfully, our role is to use our vantage point to draw near and command attention to something - or rather Someone - else.

What a beautiful reminder the story of our Savior's birth is, that we don't have to have all the details, we don't have to be burdened by those things - that our imperfection and poor timing don't keep us from God's best for us. Our Father can orchestrate the story perfectly with each of us right where he or she is, and we need only a faith-filled and willing heart, not the inside track. Notice, despite all they didn't know, all those men and women of the Nativity ended up right where they were supposed to in that story: on their knees before the Savior. And that is where you and I are being called as well, sweet friends.

During this season of remembrance, can we let our hearts be humbled? Let's allow this time of celebration to remind us that we need only keep our focus on Yeshua, Jesus. We don't have to keep the story of our lives going. God is moving, He is working, He has not forgotten about the tiniest of details, and His timing is just right. I pray that as you wait, as you dream, as you walk, as you live out your faith, that this small reminder brings the sweet blessing of releasing your grip and instead raising your hands in praise. After all, God is with us!

Blessings to you and yours from the Tadlocks!

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6