December 23: PREPARING FOR DISAPPOINTMENT

You don’t have to be prepared to receive a “surprise”. When that fun thing happens we react with joy and gratitude and even experience additional pleasure in remembering it. I hope that you experience at least one “surprise” in the next week.
My greater concern today is for people who will receive a “disappointment” instead of a “surprise.” The gifts that can’t be afforded, the scarcity of food, the telephone call that won’t come, the greeting card not received, or a heartbreaking e-mail from the battlefield and the like. You know what I mean!
Is it possible to prepare for disappointment? Or to steel yourself against the possibility? What do you think about the Magi story in Matthew 1:1-12? They are much celebrated in the churches during this season. They are the ones who wear the prettiest robes in the Christmas drama! Do you think they may have experienced disappointment? After all, they were wise and wealthy men. They had been traveling for months in a camel caravan. They had official “letters of safe passage” and gifts to present to royalty, to a King.
They meet a crafty king who tries to manipulate them for his own purposes. They persevered and then discovered that the end of their search was a little boy born to peasant parents. No indication or trappings of royalty to be seen! Instead of making a formal presentation of their gifts in the presence of stately dignitaries, it was a circle of humble folks.
If they were disappointed, it did not deter them from their higher purpose: to fulfill their God-inspired worship. As people of faith, that is our challenge. Even if we have to brush away tears, let us keep our eyes on the “big picture” and see what God has planned for us.
Disappointment need not defeat us! Confront the disappointment with hope in Christ! (Romans 5:3-5) Or listen to Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything, pray about everything, tell God your needs, and always remember to be thankful.”

“Father God, through Your Son Jesus, You have promised to be with us
to the end of time and that is more dear than any “surprise” or
“disappointment.” Amen”