Advent

I love Christmas. I have always loved the Christmas season. Not only are we able to celebrate and remember the one event that set into motion the restoration of God's people, for me, it is a season filled with warm memories of time spent with family and friends.  

Until I was in middle school my family attended a Lutheran church, where advent was celebrated, but I believe I was too young to really understand and remember advent. It wasn't until we moved to Vienna that I really experienced Advent for the first time. Austria is a Catholic nation, so Advent is a huge part of their Christmas season. 

As a side note, the 2 Christmas' we lived in Vienna are two of my favorite memories. Christmas in Vienna was wondrous, magical, exciting, and filled with our family of friends and students.  If you don't believe me, just google Vienna at Christmas! The regal lights in the streets downtown, the Christmas markets and the environments they created...topped off with the amazing family of friends, students and their families. Very sweet memories indeed.

So every year I look forward to Advent. This year I am doing an Advent devotional study through an app on my phone. I have really enjoyed it so far. I love the Old Testament, especially all of the prophecy, and a lot of the Advent readings are filled with the prophecies of Christ. This is one of my favorites from Isaiah, and just happened to be part of my reading today.

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

                                                                                        Isaiah 9:2-7

I love this whole passage and the image it creates of the coming Christ, but I particularly love the the last sentence of verse 7. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Webster defines zeal as: eagerness and ardent pursuit of something. Free dictionary defines zeal as enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance. 

I think of everything God had already accomplished for His people up to this point, and I think of everything God accomplished after this prophecy in order to bring about the fulfillment of these words in Isaiah 9. The stories that my three year old loves, David and Goliath, Jonah and the Big Fish, Daniel and the Lion's Den. They are so much more than words or stories, they are God's ardent pursuit of ME, of Us, they are His tireless diligence to bring us Salvation through the birth, life, death and resurrection of HIs son. 

I think of the zeal of the Lord, I think of his enthusiastic devotion to loving my sinful heart, and I am humbled. 

The last few months have been difficult for me. I have been struggling with the feeling of not doing enough, coupled with finding my place in serving in His kingdom. I know God's greatest calling on my life right now is to be a mom to the three boys he has entrusted to us, but I felt like I was to be doing more than that. I mean, God sent His only Son to earth, to live a perfect life, to be the perfect sacrifice, so that I could have eternal life. 

And what have I been doing? Feeding a baby, changing diapers, Cleaning house, doing laundry, packing lunches, helping with homework, disciplining my children, just the day to day life of a stay at home mom. Important? Of course, but I didn't feel like I was doing enough for His kingdom.I feel like God placed this struggle on my heart, as He had more for me to do, that I was not seeking out. I believe he placed this feeling of dis-contentedness on my heart so I would begin to seek out His will more fervently.

The past 3 weeks have been pretty amazing for Matt and I as God has revealed His calling to my heart. I am so excited to share with you how God has been moving in our lives, making His will crystal clear. Soon, I will share.

When I read this passage today as part of my devotion, it just confirmed in my heart all that God is calling Matt and I too. When I read the last sentence, the ZEAL of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this, it calmed the fears in my heart, for I know this is also true for the calling God is laying on our hearts right now.