Joy Electric has never been one to disappoint. Albums are put out consistently, music is often fun and unconventional, and lyrics, despite being weird, are thought provoking. The idea of a Joy Electric cover album continues in Jason Martin’s unconventionality and is a first.

Those unfamiliar with Joy Electric territory should know that Martin explicitly sticks to the basics of analog electronica when composing songs. As such, the album is a far cry from the likes of Bass Hunter or the Medic Droid. And although at times this works to make the music a little dull, some would prefer to call it minimalist, and this formula works rather well for the big name cover songs.

His take on “Viva la Vida” is unorthodox while sticking to the original song structure, while his rendition of The Killer’s 2006 hit “When We Were Young” is a fun analog synth take on the song.

Although the ears of many have been tuned to only the most glossed and produced songs, Joy Electric’s take is accessible if only some would give it a chance. As such, Favorites At Play is easily a must check out for any synth-pop fan / electronica fan, or music enthusiast in general.

Rating: 3 out of 5
Street Date: November 3rd
Label: Tooth and Nail Records

Track Listing:
1.) 1,2,3,4
2.) Viva la Vida
3.) I Miss You
4.) Falling Slowly
5.) When You Were Young
6.) Somewhere Only We Know
7.) It Ends Tonight
8.) Decode
9.) Say It Right

I worry about almost everything. My parents are concerned, telling me I am subtracting days from my life because I worry so much. They insist that it raises my blood pressure. I try to hide the fact that I am a worrier and play it off that I am just concerned about a particular situation. I grew up knowing the classic Steve Green kids sing-a-long or jingle “Do Not Worry,” inspired from the verses in Matthew 6:25-34. Today, this song is still stuck in my head, yet I can’t seem to put it into practice.

Take a look with me at what is said in Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV):

Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

In my heart, I know not to worry. I know that it’s technically a sin to worry. When one worries, they are basically telling God, “I don’t trust that You will take care of my needs”. So why do I worry so much!? “My spirit is willing, but my flesh is so weak” (worship throwback). Satan knows I am a worrier, so he takes any chance he has to make me worry - even about the most minutiae things. I hate it.

I know in my heart I trust God and know He has a perfect plan for me, but I need to desperately curve my worrying to resting in the Truth. I need to put into practice my ability to trust God wholly, by not worrying. I love the promise that is given to us in Jeremiah 29:11 (the verse that was on almost every one of my H.S. graduation cards); He KNOWS my plans, and He promises me hope and a future in Him. All over scripture God not only commands us to cease worrying and trust in Him, but He gives us comfort that we are never alone. If God is always with us, then we never have to be afraid.

In Acts 18, God tells Paul in a vision not to be afraid, because He was with him. God opened my heart, eyes, ears, mind, and soul this week to what I need to work on in my far from perfect life. God tells me not to worry; therefore, I must not worry. It’s as simple as that. I want to have a renewed spirit and mindset, with a trust in my Creator where I can’t even find room to worry.

GENRE: ACTION/DRAMA
RATING: PG-13
STUDIO:
THEATRICAL RELEASE: DECEMBER 18, 2009
DVD RELEASE: APRIL 2010

Okay. The hype machine has done all that it can. The paid critics have done all that they can. Now, James Cameron’s epic sci-fi/drama/romance Avatar must stand on it’s own two feet. Massive crowds have taken in the film, and it is upon their words that friends, co-workers, and family members will now decide for or against spending the money to go see it. So, I write this review not just as a pop culture critic, but also as a fan of movies.

Should you go see Avatar? Absolutely. Is it everything the hype machine has made it out to be? Not exactly.

Here is what I liked about the film.

First, it is as expansive and fully-realized as any great sci-fi film or book I have read, recalling Star Wars or a great Robert Jordan epic. From the very start, the viewer is immersed in this alien world of Pandora with its lush environs, rising peaks, varied animal life, and indigenous people groups. Taking the film in as a 3D experience truly enhances all of these features. It is a proverbial feast for the eyes.

Additionally, the special effects are as good as advertised. The native people, called “Na’vi,” look as real as their human co-stars. There is never a moment in the film that did not feel genuine. This is, quite simply put, the most majestic use of motion capture technology the film industry has ever seen. Before long, actors may become an afterthought for studios attempting to maintain a tight budget. Truth be told, when looking up the actors in the film, a majority of those playing Na’vi, I had never heard of. Third, there is an emotional depth to the Na’vi so emotive, that it translates on a number of levels likely not intended by the director or actor.

So, Avatar is breathtakingly beautiful and a treasure to behold. But, it’s not perfect. Not by a long shot.

For starters, while I spoke highly of the emotive nature of the Na’vi people, the characters are still rather one-dimensional. I suppose most people attending a film like this aren’t looking for depth of character, but still. The good guy follows the standard fare monomyth (i.e. hero’s journey), the bad guy is evil for no apparent reason other than that he enjoys carnage and destruction, and the love affair between the film’s two main characters is taken right out of classic literature (i.e. star-crossed lovers from different worlds who won’t let impropriety keep them apart). In a sense, James Cameron has given us Titanic with giant blue aliens.

Another difficulty with the film is its desire to preach several different messages, which serves to minimize the impact of all of them. It is bad enough that the film preaches environmentalism so strongly as to not flow organically from the story itself—an interesting irony if you think about it—but it seemed to me as if Cameron wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to say. In addition to the environmental message, discerning viewers will hear echoes of September 11th, Blackwater Ops (i.e. soldiers of fortune; mercenaries) in Afghanistan and Iraq, forced displacement, colonialism, and capitalism—the Na’vi serving as substitutes for any number of people who have been mistreated during our planet’s storied history. Heck, if you listen even closer, you can hear echoes of the fall of Jerusalem and the spiritual impact it had upon the Hebrew people. However, each message clanged so loudly in my ears, that I could not make out what was being said, nor could I figure out exactly why Cameron thought I should care. By competing for my attention, no one was heard.

There is also the issue of nature worship. I know. I know. They’re aliens on another world, which calls into question the nature and veracity of the Christian story in the first place. But, as this is the world we have and know, and as the Na’vi serve as substitutes, the colonialists are portrayed as greedy, thoughtless, godless, capitalists while the Na’vi are connected to Eywa, the goddess of Pandora. Everything on Pandora is connected through a massive roots systems, including memories of ancestors long since dead. It’s problematic, given the amount of people who are susceptible to choosing to worship the created rather than the Creator. (I only find this bothersome because of the Na’vi substitution motif and the subtle lie it inserts into the lives of viewers.)

Lastly, I feel as if this story could have been told in a far shorter period of time. Now, lest you think I am one of those people with an attention span shorter than the average sitcom, I assure you, I am not. Certain films take time to tell a good story. I would never seek to shorten films like Braveheart, Gladiator, or even Titanic. But, I think that for many directors “epic” translates as “lengthy,” which shouldn’t be the case. Cameron could have told an equally amazing story in 2 hours, rather than in three. And given that the characters were so one-dimensional, dragging things out over 3 hours only served to annoy me.

All that being said, I still believe Avatar will be successful at the box office. I still think it’s worth seeing. Nevertheless, I think word-of-mouth and multiple reviews will serve to slow down the hype machine, cut a little of the film’s luster, and allow people to approach the film honestly.

Excellent film. Not as excellent as some are making it out to be.

All I could do was think. I couldn’t talk for God had sealed my voice for nine long months. I know what you’re thinking, “You’re a priest, man! How could you not believe an angel’s message from the Lord?” Well, Elizabeth and I were old and we’d never caught a glimpse of having children. I knew the story of Abraham and Sara but think about it; have you ever found yourself in a situation like someone from the Bible and not learned from it? How about someone in your own life? Take my advice, learn from those around you, mistakes or successes, and learn from those who walked before you (there are plenty in the Bible and believe it or not, they were all people just like you and me). I finally did, but it was the hard way.

There I was, amidst a turning point in history, excited and in awe of what was going on but I couldn’t even talk about it or express myself. I was told that my son, who we were to call John, would be filled with Holy Spirit from birth…from birth! My job as a parent was over, right? Ha! Far from it. Our little John was going to change the world, preparing the people of Israel for what we’d been waiting for for hundreds of years…our Messiah! My kid was going to set the stage for the greatest event the world has ever seen. You can understand how I’d be skeptical, but that doubt got me into trouble even though I’d been a faithful servant of God for years. The cost was my voice.

That time, although frustrating, ended up being nine of the most powerful months of my life. Without being able to talk, I studied and contemplated. I took a look back at the words of the prophets before our time: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Malachi and others. They had seen this coming. Even my son had been spoken of, and I was overcome with emotion as I went through the prophecies and began to realize what was happening. God was going to use Elizabeth and me to usher in a new dawn through our bloodline. His Spirit began to work on my heart and my eyes were opened. I thought it a curse to lose my voice but it was truly a blessing. I was able to spend much time in silence and listen to another voice, that of the Lord.

When John was finally born, my heart beat faster than I can ever remember. “This is it,” I thought. “This is the boy who will grow into a prophetic man and be great before the Lord.” There I was, face to face with my son who was going to ignite a movement pronouncing the coming of Emmanuel, God in flesh. As soon as I got my voice back, overcome by the Spirit of the Lord, I was filled with the God’s words found now in Luke 1, verse 67 and on. Here I had been reading the words of the great prophets of old and now, I found myself prophesying. Out of my mouth, after months of quiet, flowed the most beautiful song I could ever imagine conjuring up.

I was foretelling the fulfillment of the coming of our God to earth, our salvation from the line of David. They were words of hope to a people long awaiting their coming Savior, and the time was near. I sang of God’s mercy, His oath to Abraham of our deliverance, the one who would be called ‘the Lord Our Righteousness’, our salvation from sin, the light in the darkness and our guide to the path of peace. I couldn’t believe what was going on but I felt compelled to communicate with words that were not my own. Singing over my son, although he couldn’t understand me, I felt an urge to tell him that he would be a great prophet of the Lord and right there I dedicated his life to the Lord, knowing that he would prepare the way for the One. My doubts from before had all melted away, and his mother and I sat in wonderment. I could finally talk to her, the love of my life! We rejoiced together and cried in worship at what God had done. It was surreal and crazy, yet the most tangible God had ever been to us…truly a miracle.

I confide in you now, fellow keepers of the faith, that God may allow things to happen, put people and trials in your life that you may not understand. You think you’re being faithful and know He is too, but in his own time and not yours. We want to think that if we obey his commands and stay true to His Word that we’ll get the life we long for. But never forget, our earthly desires are far less important than the desires of God’s heart. He sees things we don’t even when we walk close to Him. My wife and I longed for children and figured by that time in our lives it just wasn’t meant to be. He closed my vocal cords because I lacked faith in His promise even after years of committing my life to doing His will. That one move changed my life and at the time I felt lost, but as the days went by He worked on my heart to get me closer to Him so now I can tell a story of real faith and overcoming. I sang His song as many did before me and my belief will never wilt again.

Do you know a story like this? Have you (or someone you know) gone through the drudges and doubted God’s presence in your life only to later realize His plan was greater than anything you could ever imagine. I’m living proof of this and so are others around you. I urge you brothers to open your eyes, close your mouths, listen for the voice of the Lord, draw close to Him, let Him draw close to you, give of your whole self and be amazed at His wonder! He’s there and He’s not going anywhere. John the baptizer was our little boy, a prophet of the Lord born to us in the late years of our lives. Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s cousin Mary was carrying God’s chosen Son and our John would let the world know that His ministry was coming. We thought our lives were going to go the way of the wind, but our Lord had other ideas. His power is not explainable and His purpose for your life is the same. Until you’re in the midst of it, you may not understand or even believe that it’s happening. Nevertheless, He wants great things for you. Are you expecting great things from Him? I Am, now and forever.

I am only a man.
I was told to let it be.
In the middle of this controversy.
She is only a girl…pure and mine.
Each of us told this is the holy divine.

To live is to obey, and for her I pray.
They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh that day.
Soon we greet our King and Lord.
His life and sacrifice, we bring the sword…

Joseph
Father to the King

I step outside on a frigid winter morning, wrapped safely in my wool coat. I exhale and my breath floats on the air in front of me. The rising sun makes each falling snowflake shimmer and sparkle, and for a moment it appears that the air is full of tiny diamonds. Wonder.

I sit on the floor and carefully remove each figurine in the nativity scene from the box it has been packed in since last December. Shepherds, Wise Men, angels with their delicate wings. Mary. Joseph. And last of all, the Baby. The Baby from whom everything began. Wonder.

I hold a new baby safely against my chest. I see his tiny fingers and toes. His downy hair and wrinkly skin. His bright eyes. I feel the rhythm of his lungs and the beat of his heart against my own. I wonder what Mary must have felt as she held the Baby Jesus in her arms that morning. Wonder.

I race from store to store, finishing last minute shopping. I lock myself in my room with wrapping paper, scissors, and tape, preparing each gift to be given away. I anticipate the faces of those I love lighting up with joy at the gifts they receive. Wonder.

And finally, I can simply be. All is ready. All is waiting for Christmas morning. But tonight I sit curled in a blanket, watching the sparkling lights that spiral around the tree. Tonight I listen to Christmas melodies play softly. Tonight I hold a warm cup of tea and smile at the family that I love. Tonight is simple. Tonight is love. Tonight is Wonder.

Love. There is love that is offered… but is not deserved. There is a loyalty that cannot be broken. There is love that gives freedom. Love that allows us to let go of our faults, with the assurance that our Lover chooses to forget them as well.

That Love came simply. It arrived in a manger, in the midst of cows, and sheep, and hay. A baby boy. A baby boy who laughed, and cried, and smiled, and suffered, just as we do.

The Mighty King, who became a humble child. The humble child grew to become a man. A Man who loved. Who gave love. Who healed with love. Who sacrificed out of love. Who was love.

This was the Child whose birth we now celebrate year after year. Jesus came to earth. We didn’t deserve Him then, and we don’t deserve Him now. But still He stands, offering this love to us. Love that forgives. Love that heals. Love that changes. Love that wraps around our hearts, and our lives. Love that we can accept and return.

This Love is bigger than we can comprehend. It is given by a God who cannot be contained by human thought. His love extends past the edges of our minds, our imaginations, and our hearts. It never ends, just as He never ends.

Love. Simple. Undeserved. Wonder.

House lights dim, a spotlight falls upon center stage and standing in the middle of the light is a young man named Linus Van Pelt who is about to share with his friends the true meaning of Christmas.

He begins quoting Luke 2:8; “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Linus does not begin his explanation of Christmas with the angel appearing to Mary, the travel to Bethlehem or any other event prior to Jesus’ birth but begins it with lowly shepherds sitting out in the field late at night.

Now Linus is not necessarily a theologian; he is actually a literally animated 8-year-old kid in one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, A Charlie Brown Christmas. So I cannot say that there is some heavy theological implication as to why Charles Schulz chose to begin Linus’ monologue in such manner; however, I can say that there is a lot of importance in the angel of the Lord choosing to appear to shepherds.

The appearance of the angel of the Lord to the shepherds tells us a lot about who Jesus is and who we are. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke both hold genealogies of Jesus. They differ from one another, however; there is a common theme found in both of them, a shepherd boy turned king named David.

David was the runt of his family, the last born, one who served no more valued position then to tend to the dim-witted sheep. However, what that world deemed as unimportant revealed much to God in regards to the type of man David was. David was a man who took seriously his calling as a shepherd: he vigilantly watched over them, compassionately provided for them, and was willing to lay down his life in order to protect them. These were not just any dim-witted sheep; these were David’s dim-witted sheep and no lion or bear was going to hurt his beloved sheep.

One of Jesus’ most famous deceased relatives is a king who once was a shepherd boy.

The shepherd’s that encountered the angel of the Lord that night were not too much different then Israel’s former king. They were disregarded, not held in high regard, drifters, vagabonds and yet what the world saw as unimportant God saw as an opportunity to change lives and reveal His glory. David was the runt of the family in whom God used to defeat Goliath and to rule as king of Israel. The shepherds abiding in the field that night were cultural outcasts in whom God revealed the coming of the true King of Israel.

The use of shepherds speaks to us now that God uses the unusable to reveal His glory to the world. That those disregarded by the world are those who are welcomed and wanted to in the sheepfold of Christ.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord…” Luke 2:11

“For out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”

The use of shepherds speaks to us now about who Jesus is. He is like David, willing to lay down His life for what the world sees as dim-witted sheep. He, who showed His love for His sheep, by bearing the cross unto death. He, who protected His beloved flock by defeating the roaring lion of evil once and for all.

So what does Linus’ true meaning of Christmas reveal to us? That the world can now rejoice for Hope has come and Hope has won and Hope loves.

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart…”

Mary rested, curled up against Joseph’s side. She was truly exhausted. Next to her, Joseph’s breathing was deep and even, and he slept with one arm wrapped around her protectively. After delivering her firstborn son, the muscles in Mary’s body seemed to object to every movement she made. They groaned as she snuggled closer against Joseph’s chest, but she ignored them, shifting slightly so she could watch her sleeping baby.

She took in her birthing room. A cave. Where animals lived. The air smelled of manure and urine; there was hay strewn about the dirt floor and piled against the walls. Cows and sheep and goats had witnessed the birth of the baby. Her baby.

After the delivery, when the baby finally drifted off to sleep, Joseph lined the animals’ feeding trough with hay, and Mary settled him snugly in his makeshift bed. Jesus. She mulled over the name in her head. The supernatural events surrounding His birth. How much had happened in the last months!

Joseph snored softly next to her, and Mary’s mind drifted back to the very, very beginning. The day Joseph had picked her. Well, he’d asked her, actually. But, of course she’d said yes. Joseph was an honorable man. He was a hard worker, and he was strong. But he was also gentle. Those two qualities could be difficult to find together. What girl wouldn’t have said yes? In the shadows of the stable, a sudden grin lit Mary’s face. Poor Joseph had no idea what he was getting into when he’d asked her to be his wife.

And so, they were engaged. She was looking forward to their wedding. And then one day… in one day, everything changed. Forever.

She’d been working, just like any other day. She was a hard worker. But on that day, her work was interrupted by a visitor. Well, visitor wasn’t exactly the right word. The man was a messenger from heaven, and he had nearly frightened her to death. After all, seeing messengers from Yahweh face to face was just a tad out of the ordinary for a teenage Jewish girl.

But the words the angel spoke to her were even more out of the ordinary. “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” Mary’s eyes slid shut as she remembered that sentence. The words that had turned her life upside down. And yet, she could not remember the effect the words had had on her life without remembering the supernatural sense of peace that had settled over her heart after she’d heard them.

Yes. This was her purpose. This was the life Yahweh had called her to. That much was absolutely clear. Never mind that it was humanely impossible. Never mind that she was a virgin and had never been with a man. If this were Yahweh’s design, then it would come to pass. Of this she’d had no doubt. And so, she’d said yes.

“I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” With those simple words, Mary’s life was forever changed. Even as she rested in the stable, her eyes fixed on her baby boy, she had yet to understood the magnitude of her choice. The impact had been obvious up to this point. Very soon after the angel’s visit, she had traveled away from home to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who, the angel had informed her, was also expecting a child.

The visit was a marvelous one. The Holy Spirit had informed Elizabeth about Mary’s pregnancy… and Mary was sure this visit would be the last time she would be able to visit family comfortably. She was not far off in her assumption. After staying with Elizabeth for 3 months, her pregnancy was beginning to show. A pregnancy her family was unaware of. A pregnancy that would be regarded by all who knew her as infidelity to Joseph. But, unable to put it off much longer, she’d headed home.

At the memory of the days surrounding her return, Mary quickly shut her eyes… but not before a few rebel tears escaped and ran down her cheeks. She sniffed quietly. The words that had been thrown at her upon her return seemed to be permanently imprinted in her mind. The accusations. The questions. The explanations she’d tried to give. More accusations. The looks she’d received.

“Why the tears?” Joseph asked softly.

She quickly brushed them away, and looked up at the man who had been through so much with her. His eyes searched hers.

“I was just remembering,” she answered. “I was remembering the days after I returned from visiting Elizabeth.”

Joseph gave a dry chuckle. “You mean the days your father considered beheading me?”

“Beheading you?” Mary giggled. “It was I who was going to lose my head!”

They were exaggerating, of course. But the implications of Mary returning home carrying a child in her womb were serious, indeed. Her parents had pressed her, questioning her over and over. Who was the child’s father? Where was he? Had she been raped? And her answers, though truthful, had not exactly reassured them. How many women who bear children out of wedlock claim to have been supernaturally impregnated? That’s right. Not many.

She’d been quick to clarify that Joseph was not responsible, hoping to avoid involving him in her shame. And it would have worked, had her heavenly messenger not paid him a visit as well. Still unsure of Mary’s story, Joseph had planned on divorcing her discretely, hoping to avoid bringing her more public disgrace. But before he had done so, the angel visited him and explained what was going on. The angel left him instructions, which he followed – he took Mary home to be his wife.

Soon after, Caesar Augustus issued a decree. A census was being taken of the entire Roman world, and in order to register, each family had to return to its own town. Joseph was from Bethlehem, about 80 miles from Nazareth. And so, they had traveled…

Mary reached up and placed her hand on Joseph’s cheek. “Thank you for bringing me with you,” she said softly. “I know the law didn’t require me to be here, and I know I slowed you down. But thank you for not leaving me in Nazareth.”

Joseph smiled. “I wouldn’t have left you behind for anything. I would have missed the birth of our baby, and I would have missed you. Too much.”

“Do you think people will see us any differently when we get home?” Mary asked.

“Maybe,” Joseph answered. “And maybe not. Either way, this is the course Yahweh has set our lives on, and we’ll continue on it regardless of what other people think. Yahweh’s people often misunderstand Yahweh’s servants, but true servants don’t give up. We won’t either.”

The couple sat in silence after that, each pondering the events that led them to this point. This path of life. This baby.

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart…”

God chose to braid the thread of infertility throughout the Old and New Testament alike, keeping His people waiting and dependent upon Him so that they might fully experience His goodness in seasons of dryness and prosperity. All three wives of the Patriarchs – Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel – were barren at one time, as was Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Sampson’s mother prayed for a son long before he was born. And God blessed the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 with a son after she showed great kindness to Elisha.

In Luke 1:5-25 and 39-45 we meet Elizabeth, the first woman besides Mary to know of the coming of Christ. Like the other women mentioned above, God had closed her womb. The bible doesn’t tell us very much about Elizabeth, but what we are shown is key.

First, Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were descendants of Aaron, from the tribe of Levi – the descendants that were set apart for priestly duties. In fact, Elizabeth even bore the name of Aaron’s wife, Elisheba (Exodus 6:23). We also know that both Zechariah and Elizabeth were blameless before God. Luke 1:6 says that, “Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.” They led lives of devotion to the Lord, keeping his law and tuning their hearts to His in prayer.

However, despite their obedience to God, He chose to not to bless them with a child for the majority of their life. I wonder what that must have been like for Elizabeth, living in the public eye, her neighbors and family members and friends having children while she remained without. I wonder if she questioned Him in her prayers - “Why not me, Lord? Did I do something wrong? Have you chosen something different for me in this life that I am unable to see? Please God, fill me with Your wisdom and protect me from bitterness. I only want your will.”

It’s easy for me to imagine this prayer because I feel like those words are similar to my own often enough. Elizabeth’s heart must have broken over and over again as ours can do when we wait upon the Lord, our longings unfulfilled. Yet, she never turned away. Elizabeth remained steadfast and devoted to her Creator before and after He blessed her with a child.

Whether we have our desires or not, if Christ is not the center of our lives, we’ll never be completely satisfied. We can search indefinitely for the things or the people that we think will define us, complete us, but they’ll always fall short. And we’ll always be disappointed.

It’s evident now that God didn’t withhold children for years from Zechariah and Elizabeth as a punishment to them. He did it to reveal His glory in full. He did it so that John the Baptist, the Preparer for the coming Christ, could be born at the perfect time – according to His perfect plan.

I’d ask you to dig deeply into this story as you prepare for the coming of the Christ child this Christmas. Ask God what it is that’s holding you back from experiencing Him fully, as Elizabeth did. Lay down those idols at the foot of His throne, knowing that His sustenance will quench your weary soul.

A man lay inside out, dying. Blood pools on the indifferent concrete, and as a heavy cold sets in, darkness falls. Alone, nothing can save this man. Time is running out; hope has gone. His breathing slows; his last whisper, a cough. The pale face of death emerges, silence.
Away in the darkness, a key turns – the circuit closes – ignition. Passion burns. The fuel pumps as pressure builds. Exit to the cylinder, compression-ignition-combustion-power. The cycle repeats. Rescue is coming. The sirens blaze through the silence. The pedal is pressed, the valve opens, and the engine roars – compression-ignition-combustion-power – passion, purpose. Leaving all behind, help races to the scene. HE races to the scene.
A quick survey and the emotions overflow into tears. He kneels down as love pours out. Through Him life is restored. The bright face of life emerges, resounding praise.
I am restored.