And Heaven and Nature Sing

"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.  Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38:4-7

Have you ever questioned God's wisdom or decisions, as Job did?

There once was a girl who did her very best in all that she undertook to do.  She excelled in everything she put her hand to, but somehow the rewards for her hard work and fruits of her labor were always stolen or snatched away just at the time she should be enjoying them most.  Her songs and stories were plagiarized.  Her identity was stolen.  She was accused of crimes she would never dream of committing.  Even in relationships, it seemed she was always the one giving, never receiving; always done wrong, never right.  One day, after being accused of something so ridiculously not of her doing or character, she decided it was enough.

"It's unfair, God!" she said, tears streaming down her face.

"Why should I try anymore?  What good does it do?  Someone else always takes the credit, steals my hard work, or even takes my identity!  The wrongs done to me are so far-fetched that no one even believes me when I tell them!  The crooks and fraudsters get off scot-free every time.  Even my own family is against me!"

Unwilling to listen to God’s response, the girl put down all her ambition, creativity, hopes, and dreams and sobbed bitterly.

"I guess they all just hate me—the world and God, too," she said to herself.  She stopped calling or returning calls from her friends and the little family she had left, and decided she would simply melt away into obscurity and oblivion.

The girl did just that.  She grew older and more bitter with each passing day and every new year.  She would mutter under her breath that the world was a miserable place and each new tragedy added a board to the box around her soul.

Soon, it was Christmas-time once again in the small town in which the girl lived and she was making her normal rounds of errand-running and grocery shopping after work.  There were festive lights around, but the girl's heart was not festive.  A family with young children passed her, joyfully carrying a new puppy, but the girl wasn't joyful.  She knew the true meaning of the Season, but she had become so discouraged it was no longer real to her.  On Christmas Eve she went to church and sat in the last pew, lit her candle, and sang “Silent Night” with the rest of the congregation, but the night was pitch black and cold to her.  Leaving church in the stillness of the night, she heard a voice behind her.

"Excuse me," he said.

"Is your name, Kelly?"

"Yes," the girl responded, half thinking he had the wrong Kelly.

"I was told to give this to you.  Merry Christmas!"

She had never seen the young man before, yet there was something strangely familiar about him—something about the eyes. The young man looked deep into her eyes and straight through to her soul as if he knew and loved every ounce of her.  He handed her a small Christmas bag filled with wrinkled tissue paper, and then disappeared into the masses leaving the church.  

Inside the bag was a small box and a note card.  The note card read:

My dearest Kelly-kins,

I was cleaning out my nightstand and found this beautiful gem you wrote when you were eleven.  I can still remember your angelic voice as you sang it, perfectly in tune and destined for greatness.  The song is too great to keep to myself.  Share it with the world, dear!  Share Him with the world!  Our lives will continue singing long after we are gone from this place.

You are a wonderful treasure, my sweet Kelly-kins.  Keep singing!

I love you oodles and noodles!

Hugs,

Mommy

Kelly's mother had passed away in November, ten years prior.  The house her mother lived in and everything in it were sold in an estate sale years ago.  Kelly opened the small box to find a piece of paper folded small, to the size of a ring box.  Opening the paper she found the words to the very first song she had ever written.  It had been her prized possession.  When she was little, Kelly had always dreamed of being a singer and sharing Jesus with the world through song.  Reading her mother's note and the words to the song transported her back to that place of her childhood—but it was even better, for now she knew she was seen by God.  Her heart was thawed and she began to see the world around her in a different light, too.  That night she began living again with renewed passion and purpose.  The truth is, God always saw Kelly, and He has always seen you and me, too (Job 34:21).  

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12, NKJV).

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV).

Whatever your story, may the baby Jesus invade it in a new way this Christmas, reminding you that He sees and understands every part of you because He's been there, and He is Emmanuel, God with us.

Merry Christmas, Runners.