Waiting for the Christmas Miracle

Can you imagine having a government so corrupt, that it has set up ways of knowing your personal religious beliefs and criminalizing them?

How? By demagoguing the idea that your beliefs are hateful or a threat to the very freedom of society.

Can you imagine that same government has usurped personal rights to such an extent that there has been false authority given to that government to have you executed for those beliefs?

A deadline has been set to even prove how ridiculous your beliefs are - in order to justify and legitimize the executions.

Can you imagine the op-eds to popularize it all? How can any rational person possibly believe that one morning the sun will rise, and won’t set until the FOLLOWING night?

You have been mocked for months, and anticipation is growing for your belief in an extreme prophecy to be debunked. If the sign never happens, then this humble little church is indeed the radical fringe hate group the majority has been calling it for the last 6 years.

Then. The night before the scheduled executions, a desperate prophet pleads in prayer for guidance and comfort. And the miraculous answer is given:

“Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

“Behold, I come unto my own to fulfill all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world , and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son… and behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.” (3 Nephi 1:13-14)

Jesus Christ took a minute before His miraculous birth to assure a faithful servant that He was keeping His promises. All of them.

Timing is never sure. Neither is the outcome. Would God be any less good and great if this story were remembered as a tiny church of martyrs, the sign coming two weeks or two months later? Not even a little bit.

The Christmas story as told in the Book of Mormon is the story of a miracle - an entire church community exhibiting the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They waited for the sign, knowing “but if not…”, they would be executed the next day. Also knowing that God is still good, and always keeps His promises.

That’s why I’m so excited that He’s coming back. Because He said He would, and I believe Him, because He always keeps His promises.

So - AMEN to John the Beloved at the close of his apocalyptic vision: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

Thanks to Kirt Harmon @ https://harmonart54.blogspot.com/ for this beautiful nativity painting which hangs year round in my living room.