The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The air has turned cool and the leaves are beginning to fall.  That means fall has finally arrived.  Things begin to change and schedules become full with more and more events, as everyone tries to cram in everything they can.  However, we call this the most wonderful time of the year.  Sounds a little crazy or backwards, but it is so true.  It seems like we would want our lives to slow down and have less to do in order to say this is the most wonderful time of the year.  Instead, our lives become more complicated and crazy and for some reason we still look forward to it.  It’s when we will spend more time with family and friends.  We focus in on all that we have received and how we have been blessed.  We are reminded to be thankful for all He’s done.  It’s that time of year that we focus in on the birth of Christ and the true reason behind the season – Jesus.  In the midst of this season make sure you stop and remember why we are thankful and the reasons we celebrate.  Psalm 46:10 – tells us to, “be still, and know that I am God.”  In the midst of the craziness, as we are all running around, stop, and remember, stop and refocus on the reason for the season.  In the midst of the craziness don’t leave God behind.

for the journey, 

Mike

“For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.” Job 34:21

     Tuesday night I left my home to run to the store to get a few last minute grocery items.  When I left the store I turned onto the street to head home and the moon appeared in front of me.  It was so full it was as if I could reach out and touch it.

     Just a little over a year ago my family and I moved to Victoria from the Dallas area to accept the position of worship pastor.  This was the farthest from home I had ever lived in my entire life.  Occasionally since moving here there has been the sting of homesickness and when I saw the beautiful moon I could not help but think that those who I loved, that were living six hours away, could step outside and see the same beautiful moon I was seeing.  For a second it would be like they were here and I was there.  Yes I know, that is very sappy!  I thought to myself how amazing it was that almost anywhere in the world you go you can still see the moon.  It’s so big that its presence seems to follow us wherever we go. 

     As I continued driving my thoughts moved from my family to God.  I thought about the fact that God is so big and so powerful that we can see Him and He sees us anywhere we go.  In fact He is omnipresent.  He is wherever we are, wherever we have been, and wherever we will go.  That thought filled my mind and gave me a peace that it hard to put into words.  As I was thinking about that I turned onto my street and the trees quickly blocked my view of the fantastic moon.  At first I was a bit sad that I couldn’t run in and tell my wife to come out and see, since the trees blocked our view, but then I thought even though I can’t see it doesn’t mean that it’s not there.  Of course the moon was there even if my view was blocked by some trees. 

     There are times when we face struggles that cloud our view.  They take our focus off God and simply make it hard for us to see Him.  That does not mean that He is not there.  He is omnipresent He is everywhere.  We must open our eyes, clear our sight line, and refocus.  There He will be as big and beautiful as He was the first time we saw Him.  Take some time this week to step outside, gaze around, and look at the beauty that surrounds you.  Have peace in knowing that even we lose focus or our view becomes clouded God is still there waiting for us to return.  

Tom Smith

Pastor of Music and Worship