All I Want for Christmas (episode 44)

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,600
Today, on When You Love a Prodigal, you will gain freedom to ask God and your prodigal

2
00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,880
for gifts that you really want.

3
00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:17,660
If you have a prodigal, you can discover help and hope for your wilderness journey right

4
00:00:17,660 --> 00:00:25,760
here at When You Love a Prodigal and also help and hope for your own life journey.

5
00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:31,280
As you listen, be thinking about the gifts that you most desire.

6
00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:32,280
Name them.

7
00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:37,160
Make a list, not for Santa, but to give to God.

8
00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:43,880
These are gifts you want and gifts you'd like to happen with your prodigal.

9
00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:49,640
All I want for Christmas is the return of my prodigal.

10
00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,800
Perhaps you have said or prayed those words.

11
00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,960
I know I did many times.

12
00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:02,160
You've said, Lord, please for Christmas could my child come home?

13
00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,840
Would you set him free from his addictions?

14
00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,840
Could you cause her to quit cutting herself?

15
00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:15,200
May they see the emptiness and destructiveness of their choices.

16
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:20,880
And Lord, may we have peace in our family for Christmas.

17
00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:26,560
I have asked for just such gifts from God on many Christmases and probably you have

18
00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:27,560
as well.

19
00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:32,920
I have also asked my wanderer for such gifts.

20
00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,320
My prodigal seldom had money to buy Christmas gifts.

21
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:44,040
So sometimes I would just buy myself something I wanted and give it to him to give to me.

22
00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,920
But that didn't seem genuine.

23
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:56,680
So in greater honesty, I began to say, Josh, all I want for Christmas is something I hoped

24
00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,120
would happen in his life.

25
00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:04,520
And over the years, I have requested some very special gifts from him.

26
00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:11,840
And so let's look at those and I bet you would have the same desire from your prodigal.

27
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:16,160
The first would be that he would know Jesus.

28
00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,800
He didn't for a while.

29
00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:26,600
And surely the first time I said all I want for Christmas, I said, is for you, Josh, to

30
00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:28,360
know Jesus.

31
00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:35,080
I was confident that knowing Jesus would begin to bring the new life and new desires and

32
00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,200
new purposes and choices for him.

33
00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:44,640
And on that June 2nd, when he met Jesus, it set him on a new journey.

34
00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:48,320
And he found it challenging to stay on that path.

35
00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:53,840
And his walk with God was truly a roller coaster.

36
00:02:53,840 --> 00:03:02,640
A second gift that I asked for from our son was to say, I love you.

37
00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:09,880
Probably this request was to tell me he loved me because he wasn't able to say that.

38
00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:15,840
He grew up with this birth mom until he was eight, and though those were tumultuous and

39
00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,160
dangerous years for him, he was loyal to her.

40
00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:30,520
And when I became his legal mother, he couldn't call me mom or mother or anything except Judy

41
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,920
or even consider loving me.

42
00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:39,840
He didn't want to betray his birth mom, his real mom.

43
00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,360
But over the years, he came alive.

44
00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:49,360
He was born in my heart as my son, not just the boy that God had sent us to care for.

45
00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,240
And I fell in love with this kid.

46
00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:57,320
I wished he could grow to learn to love me in return.

47
00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:03,440
It took him a dozen years at least to be able to give me that gift.

48
00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:08,560
First on a Mother's Day card and then on a phone call.

49
00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:16,200
Now he gives me that gift almost daily with, I love you, texts or calls even.

50
00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:20,400
And it's been a really sweet thing to have received that gift, but it was a long, long

51
00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,800
wait for him to be able to give it.

52
00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,400
Making better choices.

53
00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,720
Yeah, I know you can identify with this.

54
00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:37,560
A third gift I asked for was, I want you to make choices that lead to life and not death

55
00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:44,080
because surely many of the choices that he was making over these many years would lead

56
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,880
to bad consequences in his life.

57
00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:50,920
But even death, he was in danger plenty of times.

58
00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:57,320
I wanted him to choose friends who would be positive in his life, to abandon his drugs

59
00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,960
and drinking, to begin to drive with care.

60
00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,320
I could tell you a few accident stories.

61
00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,160
To respect the girls he dated.

62
00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:16,360
This was a pretty big ask and it didn't happen very quickly, but slowly, one by one, these

63
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,840
gifts were given.

64
00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:23,120
Sometimes he came to his senses and made better choices.

65
00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:29,000
Other times God intervened in miraculous ways for which I was so grateful.

66
00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:37,520
A fourth prayer or request that I had was that he would surrender to God.

67
00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:43,400
Most recently I asked him to really surrender his whole life to Jesus.

68
00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,080
He's come so far.

69
00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:51,520
Previous gifts that I've requested and given have brought him to a much better place than

70
00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:53,520
he was for many years.

71
00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:58,320
He's become hardworking, responsible, sober.

72
00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,840
He's been sober for almost eight years.

73
00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:04,560
He is good and kind.

74
00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,880
He has a wonderful wife and very special daughters.

75
00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:13,040
For these I rejoice and am so grateful.

76
00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:18,760
Yet I believe God still has greater work to do in him and through him.

77
00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,240
He does in me, so of course he would in him.

78
00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:26,640
I don't know what that's going to look like and we can't know.

79
00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:33,480
We don't know what God's got planned, but we can at least ask for what's in our hearts,

80
00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,600
what we desire.

81
00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:42,680
I urge him as I implore myself, my other children and those I work with, anybody that I have

82
00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:48,960
influence with, don't settle for less than God's best.

83
00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:55,560
That will happen as he surrenders his will to God, as he commits to God's way and not

84
00:06:55,560 --> 00:07:01,200
his own, as he chooses day by day to walk in that way.

85
00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:07,400
He assures me he is given that gift and he asks me to be patient for the work God is

86
00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,120
doing in his life.

87
00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:15,120
Of course, even as I have requested these gifts, I know it is taking God working in

88
00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,640
him to produce them.

89
00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:24,800
So I ask him, but I also ask God the giver of very good gifts.

90
00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:31,320
And God hears my requests and he has very good responses.

91
00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,760
The same is true for you.

92
00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,720
He knows the yearnings of your heart.

93
00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:43,520
He knows exactly what you want for Christmas, whether it's something personal in your life

94
00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,640
or whether it has to do with the prodigal in your life.

95
00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:52,800
And he is so willing for you to ask to be honest, to cry out.

96
00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:59,560
We don't have to pretend and just ask for what we think God wants us to ask for.

97
00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:04,880
We can ask for what we think God wants, but we also need to ask for what's in our heart

98
00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:11,000
and in our mind and be completely honest with him.

99
00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,440
He's willing for us to cry out to him.

100
00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:20,280
And I know I've done that many times for my prodigal, and I know you have too.

101
00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:29,960
But be afraid to tell God how your heart aches about your fears for your loved ones,

102
00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,760
about your concerns for your other children.

103
00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:39,200
Sometimes the choices of a prodigal are really dangerous for our other children.

104
00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:45,280
And certainly don't be afraid to tell him how overwhelmed you feel at this time that

105
00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:50,960
it is supposed to be for celebrating the birth of our Savior, and yet all we can think about

106
00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:56,800
is the struggles and the pain and what's going to happen and when will it blow up and

107
00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,080
will they even be there to be with us.

108
00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:08,280
At the same time that you're asking, remember that his answers almost always look different

109
00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,880
than what we're thinking.

110
00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:16,000
And they have very much later timing than our requests.

111
00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:21,720
I don't think—I've seen God do sudden miracles, but they usually were not things

112
00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,480
I was asking for.

113
00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:30,600
He has a different timetable than we do, and he knows what's best.

114
00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,540
We can't really always understand what he's doing.

115
00:09:34,540 --> 00:09:35,920
He tells us so.

116
00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,080
His ways are above ours.

117
00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:43,040
We can only see with little microscopes almost.

118
00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:50,480
He's got the whole big picture for each one of us, and somehow he works all that together.

119
00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:58,520
Scripture tells us repeatedly that he knows and understands and is filled with compassion

120
00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:00,800
for our pain.

121
00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:07,960
He has given us so many wonderful promises that it able us to express our love for and

122
00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:12,960
trust in him and see his faithful responses.

123
00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,560
Just listen as I read these words from God.

124
00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:17,560
Meditate on them.

125
00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:20,600
Let God speak to you.

126
00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:28,600
In Matthew 6, a familiar verse, but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all

127
00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:33,560
these things will be given to you as well.

128
00:10:33,560 --> 00:10:40,040
In Philippians, we learn, do not be anxious about anything.

129
00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,400
Now, is that a hard command?

130
00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:47,120
There's so many things when you love a prodigal to be anxious about.

131
00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:54,680
But he says, don't be anxious, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, begging

132
00:10:54,680 --> 00:11:02,760
God if you need to, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.

133
00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:04,680
You know what he says?

134
00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:08,240
He doesn't say, and I'll give you just what you asked for.

135
00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:14,920
He says, the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and

136
00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,400
your minds in Christ Jesus.

137
00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:24,640
He says, come, be honest, bring it all to me, lay it out, make your requests with

138
00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:29,240
thanksgiving, because you know that he's trustworthy.

139
00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:34,920
And he will do what will give you peace in this situation.

140
00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:36,880
He says more about peace.

141
00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:45,680
In John, Jesus himself says, peace I leave with you, my peace I give you.

142
00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:48,680
I do not give you as the world gives you.

143
00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:55,720
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

144
00:11:55,720 --> 00:12:01,320
I don't know about you, but those are words I have needed many times to hear.

145
00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,720
Don't be afraid, trust me, God says.

146
00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:09,720
He says, and I'm going to give you peace in your heart.

147
00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:16,760
He also says, in Matthew, Jesus does, which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give

148
00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:23,440
him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake.

149
00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,400
If I gave Josh a snake, he'd probably be happy.

150
00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:32,120
He likes snakes, but I wouldn't be touching it, so that's not going to happen.

151
00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:38,920
So then Jesus says, if you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your

152
00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:46,360
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask them?

153
00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:52,520
In our session last week, in the podcast last week, we talked about the kinds of gifts to

154
00:12:52,520 --> 00:13:00,320
give to our children that will actually enhance their lives as well as make them happy.

155
00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:04,280
But God gives even better gifts than we do.

156
00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:12,760
Jesus says again in Matthew, come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will

157
00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:14,960
give you rest.

158
00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:23,760
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will

159
00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,800
find rest for your souls.

160
00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:35,960
When you're moving into a major holiday with the potential disasters that can happen when

161
00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:42,400
you have a prodigal in your family, it's hard to be at rest.

162
00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:47,120
And Jesus says, put those burdens on me.

163
00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:48,600
Take my yoke instead.

164
00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,440
It's easy and light, because I'm gentle and humble in heart.

165
00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:57,760
He says, there will be rest for your souls.

166
00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:06,560
So for this Christmas, I join you in asking God for miracles in the lives of our prodigals,

167
00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:13,160
that your loved one will surprise you with a gift that is exactly what you want from

168
00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:15,760
him or her.

169
00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:24,000
But I also ask that he will help you and me to seek him first and enable us to experience

170
00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:33,560
his peace and freedom from fear and deep rest in him.

171
00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:39,800
As we close, would you take that gift or those gifts on your list, the things you're

172
00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:45,800
asking God for, or the things that you have a list for what you would like from your loved

173
00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,600
one?

174
00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:55,920
And I'd like you to just take those and open your hands and offer those requests to God.

175
00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,960
He knows exactly what to do with them.

176
00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:07,400
And when a few minutes or hours or days later, you find you've taken them back with fear,

177
00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:12,920
disappointment, resentment, because neither God nor your loved one seems to be answering

178
00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:15,080
your requests.

179
00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:23,880
Open your hands again, loosening your desires to God's kind and generous hands.

180
00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:28,560
May his blessings overflow you this Christmas season.

181
00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:35,120
May you see him answering requests beyond what you asked in different ways that you

182
00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:43,280
asked and giving you freedom in your spirit and peace in your heart and mind and rest

183
00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:45,680
in your soul.

184
00:15:45,680 --> 00:16:01,720
God bless you.