Merry Christmas!

What a privilege it is to be entrusted with writing our 2 Kingdoms Messenger on this blessed day. I hope in the midst of the busy-ness of the season that we don’t forget to take the time to remember the wonder of what we celebrate today – the birth of the Word of God made flesh. It is nearly inconceivable that the womb of a young woman and then a common manger could hold the Creator of all things “visible and invisible” (Colossians 1:16). This is both a profound mystery and the most blessed truth!

This marvel is captured beautifully in the hymn, “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.” The text was derived from a doctrinal poem written around the end of the 4^th century by Marcus Aurelius Prudentius. These ancient lyrics were later perfectly paired with the haunting tune “Divinum Mysterium.”

In this hymn, each verse ends with the phrase, “Evermore and evermore.” This punctuates the main confession of this hymn, the timelessness of God and His plan of salvation. This theme is clearly seen right at the start, “Of the Father’s love begotten Ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He.” Before the love of God became flesh, before Creation itself, from the mystery of eternity past, the Son was begotten of the Father’s love. Throughout this hymn, we see the eternal plan of God carried out. What He began in eternity past will be accomplished in, from our view, eternity to come, and always in God’s way and with God’s perfect timing.

When we consider the way in which God brought about our salvation, some are tempted to see God as being indifferent. Why didn’t Jesus come sooner? I love how this hymn shows the methodical unfolding of God’s perfect plan of salvation. For although the end of verse 2 tells us it was at the birth of Jesus that “the world’s redeemer, First revealed His sacred face,” the start of verse 3 recounts, “This is He whom seers in old time Chanted of with one accord, Whom the voices of the prophets Promised in their faithful word.” Every part of God’s plan is important, and every part of His plan reveals more and more about our Redeemer whose birth resounds through all eternity.

Peter warns us, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). When we look at the deliberate work of God, we should notice God is patient, but He is not lazy. God is always at work, but He is never rushed. God is urgent in His message, but He is never desperate. God is disappointed at people’s rejection, but He is never deterred by it. Hour by hour, year by year, century by century, God carries out His plan, “Evermore and evermore.”

“Are you lazy or ambitious?” That was the question my mother-in-law once asked our dog, Walter, as he was lounging around our house. Since then, that question has become commonplace in our home, especially when we seem to be slacking. Even though we use it often as a joke, it does raise an important question for our approach to understanding the purpose of our life. For we do not have an eternity on this earth. Our lives are temporary, and the fleeting nature of life can cause us to gravitate to one of two extremes – we can think our efforts are of little value and grow lazy and complacent, or we can overestimate our own importance and become frenzied and agitated when we are unable to achieve the outcomes we desire.

Just prior to His Ascension in Acts 1, the disciples asked Jesus to reveal the times and dates when everything would be accomplished. Instead, Jesus pointed them to the mission He had given them to be His witnesses “in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).” Our job is not to worry about achieving certain outcomes, but we are called to be faithful witnesses of Jesus – wherever He leads us.

Remarkably, He has also invited us to be a part of His eternal plan. As faithful servants, we need to be willing to do God’s work, God’s way. For the work is His; the timeline is His; the outcome is His. So let us faithfully do that work with all joy and diligence. Let us not be lazy, but ambitious. In our ambition, however, may we also be patient with others and continue to trust God’s plan. The plan that started with the “Father’s love begotten.” The plan that was foretold by ancient seers. The plan that was accomplished by our Redeemer. The plan that promises that one day we will see all “pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him And extol our God and King.” May we remember that God’s purposes go beyond our understanding and our lifespan. May the wonder of His plan overwhelm us whenever we close the Lord’s prayer, “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever (Evermore and evermore.) Amen.”