This year I wanted to start a traditional Advent (anticipating Jesus) ritual in our family's festivities. Trouble is the Saturday prior to the first Advent Sunday, we had no candles (you add one each week of Advent, plus Christmas Eve = total of five candles) and there would be no opportunity to buy any candles before Sunday night.
Bummed, with a hint of failure creeping in, I muttered the prayer, "God, if you'll just give me a candle to get started, I'll get my act together and find candles in time for the other weeks."
What did I think He would do about my little candle shortage? I have no idea. I didn't think about it again, nor did I tell anyone. It was enough to get the burden of having it all together off my shoulders and put it on His.
On Sunday morning, just as I was about to sit down for church, Lilly (one of our middle schoolers) walked up to me and handed me A CANDLE saying, "This is from my mom."
After a moment of breathless wonder, naturally, I made a beeline to Janice for an explanation. As it turns out on Saturday she'd been cleaning her house and had come across this lovely beeswax candle and thought, "Sara Matheny would use this. I will put it in my purse right now and give it to her tomorrow."
Asked for a candle, received a candle.
That is our God. Giver of tangible gifts. Powerful in simplicity. Bearer of burdens.
1 comment:
Yay!! I'm so glad you are doing this! We just started our tradition this year too!
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