"It wasn't worth it," screeched the commanding officer. But it was.

Combat was ferocious, and many soldiers were dying. They were friends in the thick of it. When one of them was injured and couldn't return to the trenches, the other violated his commander's orders and searched for his buddy. He was mortally wounded in the process, and the friend he carried back was dead. His commander questioned the worth of his mission, but the young man smiled and quietly said, "It was worth it, sir, because when I got to him, he said, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.'"

Advent happened at just the right time:

Galatians 4:4 – But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. (NLT)

Alexander the Great made Greek the universal language of commerce and government, and the ingenious Romans constructed a magnificent array of roads. The Jews received and held securely God's law and prophecies of the coming Messiah. When the Messiah arrived, the news of His birth was heralded over paved roads in a tongue understandable to most.

Just as the soldier saw his friend as worth saving and dying for, so God saw us as worth rescuing as well. God created us to love Him, commune with Him, and serve Him, but sin broke the bond. The advent of the Messiah and His resulting death was God's attempt to restore what the enemy stole — a successful attempt.

God always responds to human need in His time, not ours. Our duty is to trust His judgment, wait on His timing, and believe that He has our best interests at heart. This duty is called faith and is our belief that we need Him to come for us. With our dying breath, we, like Jim, say, "We knew You'd come."

Prayer: Merciful Father, who looked down from heaven on our present and eternal need, we pause during this Christmas season to thank You for coming for us at just the right time. May we always herald the message of Your love to a hurting world. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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