December 14 Devotion

Lectionary Reading: Numbers 3: 5-13

I have to admit something, but I don’t think it will be a surprise: I am a “doer”--a bossy “doer”. I like to be busy and if I have to be busy, I’m more comfortable if I’m in charge. This fits in well with my profession as a nurse and even better when I joined the ranks of nursing faculty many years ago. I can direct and guide all day long. There are patients who need assistance and students with many questions. They need me and my bossy ways. Some are even grateful for the assistance.

The problem is—there are usually resistors in the group—people who don’t want to follow my directions. Could it be that they also like to be in charge? Or there are situations or circumstances which resist my interference. Could it be that other methods are more pertinent? The bottom line is: I cannot control everything. I’ve tried to control a lot of things, but I have to learn again and again that I cannot control anything. I am not in control. Control is an illusion and I can only guide the outcome of some circumstances. I can only make choices that I think will have positive outcomes.

Well then, who is in control? I’m sure that even the kindergartners among us know the answer—God is in control. He has set in motion a wonderful garden for us in which we can learn and grow and interact with God and with each other. He has given us powerful choices and the free will to “exercise our options”. I can’t believe that God so freely lets us try to manage things on our own. If I were God (don’t worry, I’m not delusional) I don’t think I could let go of that power. But, that is exactly was God is all about.

God loves us so much that He knows what we need even before we ourselves know. And what we needed over 2,000 years ago, and what we need still today, is a baby. A baby that we can love and take into our hearts. A baby to nurture and play with. How do we get ready for the baby? In this case, we don’t have to do anything, except to believe. But that is the really hard part. We have to relinquish control and let God come into our hearts. We have to trust that in the surrender of our hearts and our being, God will come in. When we surrender ourselves, God fills us with all we need. There is a line from the refrain of a hymn: “…all I have needed thy hand hath provided;”

No, I don’t have control. You don’t have control. We have something much better—we have all we need.

Prayer: May God fill your thoughts and words with love in this Advent time of preparation. May each of us know beyond doubt that the baby we await already dwells in our hearts. May we love one another as He first loved us through the baby Jesus. Amen

Chyrl Budd