Jeremy Johnson - Emanuel, God with Us - Unopened Gifts

As Christmas is quickly approaching, the story of Jesus' birth is one we can reflect on. It is one of unexpected events that require faith and trust in the Lord. Discussing the birth of Christ, Pastor Jeremy shares how Joseph and Mary experienced the gift of the savior, which required great surrender to God's plan and sovereignty. Ever feel like the gifts of God are frightening before they are exciting? Or blessings come in unusual ways? When we look in the Bible, Mary was given the gift of birthing Christ. However, leading up to His birth, she was unsure how it would all play out. Similar to Mary's situation, often the greatest blessings scare us before they bless us. In these times, we must remember that God orchestrates things in our lives in ways that only He can get the credit as He moves miraculously. While we may feel hesitant to receive the gifts of God in their fullness when we don't understand, we can trust that He works everything out for the good. As we practice confiding in Him, we can remember that our responsibility is not controlling how things will unfold, but rather our response to His ability to work in our lives. Even when we may not see the blessing immediately, we can be sure that He turns things around to bless us. Rather than trusting our immediate emotions, we can rest knowing God's hand is always at work. In this, let us be encouraged that God is faithful to finish what He starts.