I think I’ve said this before, but I love Christmas. In our home, every other year is a monumental occasion. Heidi and I wait in eager anticipation to the year our entire family gathers to celebrate Christmas. This is the year that our whole family is home. My wife is rolling raw cookie dough and getting it ready to go into the oven as I write this. I’ve already licked the spatula that our daughter Hannah used to stir her homemade chocolate pie. My middle son, Austin, is peeling potatoes for Christmas lunch over the kitchen sink. We are also waiting for our oldest, Son, Brennan, and his family to come tomorrow morning. It is a wonderful time in the Savage house today. I love Christmas; we’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.

Concerning time, it is interesting to look into the birth narrative of Luke. In chapters 1 & 2, we learn a fundamental, simple, and yet profound lesson about time. God’s timing is always the perfect time. Let me quickly show you a few things I’ve seen in Luke 1 & 2 concerning time.

1:5  “In the days of King Herod …”
1:9 “It happened that he was chosen by lot…”
1:26 “In the sixth month…”
1:39 “In those days …”
1:57 “Now the time has come …”
2:1 “In those days …”
2:6 “the time came for her to give birth …”
2:11 “Today in the city of David

God’s Messiah came at the perfect time. Galatians 4:4 reminds us, “When the came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”  In other words, at just the right time, God sent Jesus. Luke reminds us that the first coming was at God’s perfect time. In fact, God’s timing is always perfect.

Are you waiting for God’s timing? Are you wondering what He is doing? My word of encouragement today is not to fear or worry. God will answer at the right time, and His time is always the perfect time. In faith, trust in His time; continue to live faithfully and watch for Him to work.

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas. Heidi and I love you all very much. If you are in Salina tonight (Christmas Eve), join us at 6:00 pm for a beautiful Christmas Eve service.