This was the year (again) that we were going to get Advent right. I was ready. Day one we all sat down and read the prescribed scripture reading and I read from our new Advent book that I was so excited to share with my family. All of a sudden one kid’s head was laying down on the table, another started fidgeting and making noise, another sighing, and the other seemed to be gritting teeth ready for me to finish.

My husband suggested I condense it for the next reading.

Check.☑️

Today it’s December 6 and I was condensing Day 2 during my quiet time. Yeah, so I was successful by getting Day One read, but really, unsuccessful because it flew over and around all of my kid’s heads and hearts.

Obviously getting it read on the right day wasn’t the point.

Here’s the point of this…our God created time and stands outside of it. He won’t only meet us if we are on the “right day” of Advent. I know this because He met me this morning on Day 6 while I was back in Day 2 of the Advent reading.

A friend sent me this song yesterday from Kristene DiMarco’s album…

…so I was listening to the whole album for the first time yesterday. (Yes, it’s awesome.)

This morning, the topic of Day 2 of Advent was about the willingness of Jesus vs. our unwillingness (from this book which is great so far!!)

I was making this list to share with my kids later during my quiet time this morning…

In this process he was working on ME. Reminding me of His perfect willingness, and my so-often unwillingness.

I thought of this verse and grabbed my phone to find the reference…

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:8

I was thinking about how He was willing to humble Himself…step out of perfect heaven as perfect God…willing to put on flesh to be able to relate with us…willing to die…EVEN death on a cross.

Jesus was and is willing.

So, I had googled “Jesus is willing”, hoping the verse would pop up. Here’s what popped up instead…

Yeah…that album that I listened to for the first time yesterday has a song about the lesson that God was teaching me this morning.

Crazy, right?!!

So His timing….it’s perfect. Always. Even when we think we’ve messed it up…He meets us there anyway because He stands outside of time and isn’t restricted by the number on our Advent calendar or devotional.

Be encouraged…don’t give up. Press on. He will meet you when you seek Him…I think He takes delight in meeting us in these crazy ways just to show us that He’s not inside of the box we try to keep Him in. His finger prints are always outside of the box that we try to smoosh Him into.

Forgive us Lord…thank You for being Who You are and not who we say You are.

He’s bigger than that…way bigger.

Father,

Forgive us. Forgive us for our shortsighted vision of Who You are. Thank you for meeting us anyway when we seek you. Thank you for Your grace and patience. Thank You for this reminder that You meet us in YOUR time and You do it perfectly so that we know it’s You. Only You. You always do more than we can ask or imagine. Thank you.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

Blessings,

Nicole

“Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.”

Psalm 105:4