The Girl Next Door ☎︎: The Everlasting Father {Part 1: A Christmas Carol}

Many of us are familiar with the popular Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol. In this classic novel, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. The series of ghosts convict him of his hard heart and present him with a fresh perspective on his life.

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!” -Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

AN EVERLASTING GOD

This Christmas season, the Lord has taught me a lot about the past, present, and future. While each season of life has important lessons to teach us, it is important that we surrender them to the Lord's sovereign hands. But, in order to fully surrender to Him, we must fully trust Him. And He is completely worthy of our trust.

God is the Alpha and Omega, who was and is and is to come (Rev 1:8). He is the Eternal God, not limited by time nor surprised by circumstances. He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore (Heb 13:8). A thousand years, to Him, are but as yesterday when it is past (Ps 90:4). He has made everything beautiful in His time, not our time (Ecc 3:11). So, who are we to question God's timing or try to understand His ways? God is faithful, He knows what He is doing.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired His understanding is inscrutable." Isaiah 40:28

AN EVERLASTING CHRISTMAS CAROL

Charles Dickens calls his book a "carol", a song of joy celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. He even titles each of his chapters "staves", a verse in a song. The story even includes a refrain, a repeated phrase in a song. Tiny Tim, though crippled and poor, humbly prays The Christmas Carol's joyful refrain (a repeated line or phrase in a song), "God bless us, everyone!"

In spite of our past mistakes, present problems, or uncertain future, we can sing a carol to our Savior for His birth, death, and resurrection. He is our one constant, the only One we can depend on for fullness of life, steadfast joy, and unconditional love.

Like Tiny Tim, may we pray God's blessing on other's lives this Christmas season no matter what the past year held, today holds, or the new year brings. God blesses those who place their trust in Him.

In response to the past, present, and future we can humbly declare with the psalmist, "BUT I trust in you, O Lord. You are my God. My times are in your hand" (Ps 31:14-15).