Thankyou for staying with me through this Advent season. We have just a few more stories about God’s “I WILL” promises, though you’ll find plenty more in the Bible.
When my husband was a child, Christmas holidays were difficult. Gene’s mother was hospitalized for many years. Family finances were tight. His father felt exhausted being a single parent. As a boy, Gene would bring up their meager holiday decorations from the basement, set them up in the living room, and send out Christmas cards, because no one else had energy to do it. While his friends looked forward to school vacation days, for Gene the holiday celebrations often took on the flavor of grim determination.
After we married, things changed. One day, while Gene was at work, I set up the Christmas tree and decorated the house. He came home to a wreath on the door and the warm glow of colored lights. His eyes lit up with wonder like those of a child as he took it all in.
In Joel 2:25,27, we read a poignant promise from God: “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, . . . Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.”
The prophet Joel was right. For years, Gene missed out on the joy of family celebrations, but God eventually gave him a new family and restored the joys he richly deserved as a child of God.
Someone you know may be facing difficulty this season. Why not share the hope of God’s restoration with your friend?
