Have you ever seen a curveball thrown in baseball??? Well, what happens is that it seems to be coming straight at the batter when all of a sudden - whoosh! The ball curves to the left or right unexpectedly!!! It truly throws the batter off and they miss the ball completely........ugh!
Have you ever missed something? Thought life was going to turn our one way and bam! It turned out completely opposite??? Well, the good news is that curveballs even happened back in the ancient Bible days!!! Take Zechariah for example: His wife, Elizabeth was pregnant with a child at a very old age and Zechariah's response to the angel was skepticism, NOT joy!!! And, this child turned out to be John the Baptist. The messenger of Christ the Lord. A JOYOUS curveball!!!
Melanie Rigney wrote this devotion in Living Faith:
"Change - even wonderful, exciting, almost-beyond-belief change - challenges us! Living in that old familiar rut is so much easier. Is it any surprise that Zechariah's first response to the angel who told him of his child's coming and all that would mean was not total joy, but skepticism??
The joy part comes when we summon the courage and faith to embrace God's plan. Sometimes, as with Zechariah, doing that takes some quiet time and prayer. Sometimes, it takes talking things out with a spiritual adviser, priest or trusted friend. Sometimes, it's just a matter of pushing ahead and embracing whatever comes, knowing that God, as always, has the situation - and us and our fears and trepidations - under control."
Lord, thank you for the grace-filled curveballs you toss to shake up my complacency and deepen my faith.
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Curveballs are part of the equation as a human being. Yep! That's right. We miss things.......small things and big things! We are offered an incredible gift at this time of year and everyday and many people miss it!!!
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and came to bring us joy, peace and unconditional love. My prayer this Christmas each of you will recognize the gift of this JOYOUS season - Christ the Lord!!!
Isaiah 9:6 says:
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given who is Christ the Lord!!!"
Merry, Merry Christmas!!!
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