Every year, the winter solstice is on December 21st. The
winter solstice is noteworthy because it is the shortest day of the year. On
this day, the earth is at its farthest point in its eliptical (egg-shaped)
orbit from the sun and is beginning to make its way back towards the warmth of
that fiery orb.
Despite the fact that December 21st is the shortest day of
the year, it is certainly not the coldest. We usually hit this unwelcome day
sometime in late January or early February.
Just as the changing of the weather from cold to warm lags
behind the point of the Earth's change in direction back towards the sun, so it
is that the visible answer to prayer often lags behind the point when the
prayer is answered.
By reading 1 John
5:14-15, we know that prayer is answered at the time of the request.However, as impatient and imperfect humans,
we often wonder at and grumble against God because we cannot see how He is
moving in our lives. Similarly, during the frost of winter, we fuss at the shoveling,
bundling, scraping, slippery roads and frozen toes; and we wonder how we are
ever going to make it through to spring.April seems so far away.
Deep down within us, we know that the green buds of spring
are just a short while away if we will just persevere through the winter one
day at a time. In like manner, as James 1:4 says, we must "let patience
have her perfect work [in us] that [we] may be perfect and entire."
Scripture teaches us (in 2 Cor 5:7, Heb. 11:7, 2 Cor
4:13-18) that we cannot serve a God who demands a walk of faith if we insist on
visible indications of his works. We must continue to learn to trust in Him, to
have faith in Him, to believe in Him; knowing that he is an omniscient,
omnipresent and omnipotent God who has everything under His control.
Never forget that the God whom you cannot touch or see,
sees you and is always in touch with your needs.