I Believe

Today on this Christmas Eve I've been meditating on the verse that comes in Luke 1:45, right before the start of what we call The Magnificat.  In this verse Elizabeth says to Mary, "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished."

Wow!  God places so much value on us believing that He will do what He says he will do--believing in His integrity and His power.   That belief will be rewarded with His blessing.

As I look back on 2011 in this Operation Christmas Child journey,  I see answered prayer at every turn.  I am especially in awe as I read this latest word from Jim Harrelson, head of Operation Christmas Child:

Good News of Great Joy! 6,035,032 (and counting!) shoe box gifts and Gospel Opportunities from the USA in 2011 (5,800,000 goal)! WOW! 8,620,009 (and counting) shoe box gifts internationally (8,500,000 goal)! We will not have final numbers until early January, 2012. What an incredible blessing. The Lord has again faithfully provided! The Gospel is being advanced around the world. For such a time as this we are part of a worldwide movement of the Holy Spirit of God to gather children to Jesus so they may hear about and respond to His love and forgiveness, and be sent out to share with others. We are right in the middle of taking the most powerful truth, the Gospel, to the most receptive hearts, the children. Such is our opportunity and privilege!

I don't recall ever seeing such growth in shoebox numbers in just one year.  God blew way past the goals I prayed for this year.  I think of Mary who BELIEVED that what the Lord said to her would be accomplished.  I want that kind of faith.  As we look forward to a new year of ministry and prepare to set goals, I'm praying that I will hear God clearly say what He wants to accomplish in 2012 and that I will believe Him.

And as these boxes are still on their way to the children who will receive them this year, I'm praying and believing that God will use each one to let a child, a family, a community have believing faith in Him.

Lord, I believe.  Please help my unbelief.


PS--There is still time to go online and pack ONE MORE shoebox through the Build-A-Box program that closes this evening.  Give a gift that will keep giving for eternity at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ