Is your gratitude getting squished?

“The Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Almighty, one who is, who was, and who is to come.”

Revelation 1:8

Christmas is zooming toward us whether we’re ready or not – and while the bright lights, sounds of carols, and thoughts of family traditions can bring so much joy, research shows that many of us end up feeling more anxious during the holidays than during any other time of the year.Why? Well, maybe it’s because we get squished by thoughts of   

. . . money – if we only had a little bit more, then we could buy the gifts they really want.   

. . . family gatherings – who will be there, who will be missing, and who won’t get along?   

. . . the rush – baking, cleaning, shopping, wrapping, planning, decorating.

Maybe it’s because we’re so focused on the rush that we forget to invite Alpha and Omega to the party.

And I wonder if this happened to Joseph (not the father of Jesus, but the son of Jacob).

Did he ever feel squished by life? He had to, didn’t he??

He was adored by his father – the favorite in fact – but his brothers mocked him, threw him in a pit, and sold him into slavery (Genesis 37). His master’s wife falsely accused him of sexual advances (Genesis 39:1-20). And he sat in a prison cell for years, for a crime he didn’t commit…with no family or hope of release.

I wonder if he had regrets and if he ever felt defeated. I wonder if he had any inkling of the beautiful things Alpha and Omega had planned for him.

The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, Alpha and Omega, are used in scripture to define God as the author of our eternal timeline. 

  • God was the beginning; the Creator of all things. (Genesis 1:1)
  • God is our present help; abiding with us. (Psalm 46:1, 1 Corinthians 3:16)
  • God is to come in the clouds; taking us to his kingdom to reign with him forever. (Revelation 1:7, Daniel 7:18)

Alpha and Omega saw every pain and joy that Joseph experienced, in a way that Joseph never could. He saw purpose and beauty beyond the prison bars. He saw the whole broken, beautiful picture.

Just like us, Joseph sat on a teeny-tiny dot of the eternal timeline…looking back to smiles and regrets, and forward to earthly hopes and dreams…with a view that was utterly microscopic. And if he measured his life by the view from his dot, he surely experienced doubt.

Trying to make sense of the world by what we see from our tiny dot never leads to joy. No matter how much we love our families, they are not meant to define our value or satisfy our souls. Our careers, homes, and vacation spots are blessings for sure, but they aren’t meant to fill the empty places in our heart. Not even a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas will bring the sort of satisfaction that can only be given by our Eternal Father.

Every broken piece of Joseph’s life lead him to God’s beautiful purpose, that could only be seen by Alpha and Omega (Genesis 41:40-54, 41:57).

And, guess what? Whether you are 40, 80, or 105, Alpha and Omega sees your whole picture, too, and he wants to flood your tired, anxious mind with eternal promises for your good:

  • His love for you will never end (Isaiah 54:10)
  • His compassion and mercy for you are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)
  • He is always with you (Deuteronomy 31:8)
  • He gives you strength (Isaiah 41:10)
  • He wants your kids and grandkids to know about his power and love (Psalm 78:4; Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
  • He forgives you (John 3:16)
  • He hears your prayers (Psalm 34:17)
  • He works everything for your good (Romans 8:28)
  • He is preparing a place for you with him in paradise, without tears or pain (Luke 23:43; John 14:2-3; Revelation 21:4)

You have so much to be grateful for as you walk through this holiday season. Grab onto everything good, with all your might.

Surrender your anxious thoughts and tired body into the eternal, powerful arms of Alpha and Omega.

He sees your beginning, your middle, and your end. He is with you now, he will be with you tomorrow, and he is working things out in ways you may not see.

What an enormous, beautiful promise to cling to as you dangle your feet from your dot! ⚉

Making it Personal

  • How might Alpha & Omega see my current circumstances differently than I do?
  • How might he see the circumstances of my adult kids differently than I do?
  • How can an eternal perspective bring me comfort this week?
  • Pause to pray for the eternal perspective that only Alpha and Omega can give.
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