A Baby Changes Everything

As I was working this week on putting together, uh, my thoughts for the dedication and working towards my message, I had a lot of baby thoughts on my mind, and, uh, trying to process exactly what I felt like God had for us. And moving into the service, I, I — for some reason it just stuck in my spirit, talking about babies. So my title of my message today is: The Baby Changes Everything.

Now, my baby is nine years old now, going to be 10 in November. And then I have two others that are 17 and 15 respectively in their ages. So it's been a minute since I was in this phase. But I'm going to tell you, you don't forget some things. And if there's one thing I can tell you right now, I slept all night last night. And for those new parents in here, just hang on — you'll get there too. It's going to happen. But man, I was thinking to myself about those first few days of having that newborn child at home. I remember when we left the hospital, Baptist Hospital downtown Nashville, and we were driving away out of the parking garage, I remember looking back there in the back seat. Kaylee was in her car seat, and I was thinking to myself: They let us leave? Wow, that's crazy. They just let us walk out. We didn't have to take a test, you know. We didn't have to pass any exams. They were just like, well, it's yours. Yeah, you can head on home. And I think to myself, you know, it might be good if they made you take a test. I asked you a few questions. I mean, all they do is make sure that you can get your child in the car seat, and they're like, all right, good luck. High five. You're on your own.

But I was thinking to myself about all that comes into our life when we have these children. I remember how much our life changed. And that seems to be like you should know that. But man, until you do it, you don't realize how much your life changes by that little bundle of joy. You know, they come in, they're like six, seven, eight, nine pounders. If you have a big one, maybe 10 or 11. You know, sorry, Mom. You know, you get these children with you. But where it really, really just sunk in for me about how much our life had changed was just a few weeks into it, we decided to take a little overnight trip. You remember this, babe? And I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee at that time, and it was just my wife and myself, and then little Kaylee, you know, seven, eight pounds of the little, little blond-headed girl there. And I found myself running out of space in the car for an overnight trip, as I was out there. And I'm, I'm — and if you've been around me at all when we traveled, I'm the pack master. I can — I'm — my Tetris is my game that I, I own. I can stack stuff in. And, and now this has, this is proven to be a challenge, as my daughters turn into teenagers, because when we go on vacation, they like to test Dad to see, can he really fit it all in the car?

But I remember that first trip. We get out there, and I have — you know, there's the, there's the crib pack-and-play, and then there's, uh, the — all these, these things that, that little seven, eight pound human brought along with it. Because she has changed our world. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Anybody have little ones real — man, like, how do we do this? And then there's all the things that when you go out that you are guilted — and I use that word appropriately — you are guilted that you must buy for your kid to even remotely turn out normal. Now, for those of us who, who have ray — are in their story, but you're past that baby stays: How many of those things did we buy that we didn't need? And why did it never occur to us that they've been having babies since — we was not good English, but a true statement. You know, a few generations ago, I mean, they had a stick and a blanket — and, and yet humanity survived. But here we are now. And I'm not always against everything, but let's be honest: There's just some things that you didn't need. You bought it, but you didn't need it.

But a baby changed everything. And as I was processing my own feelings through that and getting ready for the dedication, I began to think about the fact that that's a really true statement, because the baby changed a lot for humanity. Isaiah chapter nine — I want to take you there for just a minute, cause I believe there's a few things I'd like to pull out to talk to us today about how a baby changed so much. Isaiah 9, verse number 1, reads this way. It says: Nevertheless, that the time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in the land of deep darkness, a light will shine. Light shining into darkness.

Now, if you've been around the, a church environment for a little while, there's no doubt that you have heard Isaiah 9 read before. You may not have heard this verse specifically, but Isaiah 9:6 talks about a child being born. But what we see here

in these first few verses is: Isaiah is referencing what's about to happen. And he's talking about that in the land of man, in our world, there was darkness. But in that darkness light began to shine. What was, what was being shown there was a child that was coming that was going to bring a promise, shining into that darkness. When we walk in darkness, it, it doesn't always work out well for us.

Just yesterday I was helping my wife. We were up here. She was putting out some decorations, getting ready for fall, and, and there was, uh, some curtain rods she wanted me to hang in the nursery over here. So as I was getting my stuff ready, I needed a hammer. Now, for those home folks, you know, we've been working on the corridor for a while, so I went over to the corridor to go to the tool room, which is over in the old chapel. Now, I just decided that I've traveled that way so many thousands of times, I didn't need to cut the light on. Now, you know where this is going, right? There's been construction over there and things have been moved. Now, what I did is I decided to take a few steps, because, I don't know if you know this or not, it takes a minute to walk around campus, so I was trying to save a little bit of time. Mistake number one: Sometimes time saved is always — not always — time well spent. Number two: I decided to allow my pride to get the best of me, that I know where I'm at. I don't need to cut a light on. And as I was skirting my way through the old baptismal area, thinking about halfway through, maybe I should have cut the light on, it happened. Something was there that should not have been. The light would have helped me see that. Oh, there's a whole sermon right there. But I had not taken the time to allow the light to shine in the room I was in. So therefore, I stumbled and fell.

Darkness isn't always our friend. Darkness is spoken of some 200 times in the Bible, and it's a picture of life apart from God — apart from his direction, apart from his wisdom, apart from his love and care. We have important decisions that we need to make in our life. Do you agree with that? And sometimes darkness creeps in. We didn't ask for it. We didn't sign up for it. We didn't go out and declare, I wish it was that way. But it just simply happens. And we have to be careful that when we find ourselves in dark places, that we don't end up making critical decisions. Because oftentimes it can cause us to make big mistakes. When we're making decisions and we're in the darkness, oftentimes it can be foolish. They can be ignorant. They can be confused. That's what darkness does. We end up hurting people when we walk in darkness. And oftentimes it causes us to become afraid, which leads us to lose hope. And a life without hope is not a life well lived.

Sometimes the darkness takes the form that it seems as though it's choking our very hearts. We've got to be careful, because we don't even realize often times just how bad it's getting. I was reading about a study that was done at Harvard that asked the question — they were given an option A, option B. Option A says this: If all things were the same, which option would you choose? A: You make fifty thousand dollars a year, but everybody else makes twenty-five thousand dollars a year. Option B: You make a hundred thousand dollars a year, but everybody else makes two hundred thousand dollars a year. Which option do you think was answered the most? Option A — that you would live with less money, as long as everybody else had less money than you. Now, what does that say about us? What does that say about us, at the very base of where we are, that when given the chance to have more, we will not accept more if that means that I have less than everybody else around me? Oh, the human heart, how it deceives us. We have a scriptural mandate that says we can't trust it. We have the word of God that says you got to be careful with it, because it'll, it'll lead you astray. And we, we have to be willing to stay in tune with who we are.

Have you ever made this statement? Have you ever said to yourself: I don't know where that came from? As you spoke, something just came flying out of your mouth, and you're like, I can't believe I said that. I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth. Do you know what that's an indication of? I'm not meaning to hurt your feelings, but that's a real indication that you're out of touch with your heart. When something like that happens, there should be a warning sign going off to you, to let you know that I'm, I'm not really in tune with who I am. Because I'm just made this statement: I can't believe I said that. We have to be careful. Our human heart will get us in trouble. You know, it'll cause us to lead in darkness, and we're not even aware of. When we discover that there's, there's things going on inside of us — we're struggling with, with greed or deceit, or, or struggling to make the right decision, even — we know, we know it's right, but we seem to have a hard time making the right decision sometimes. I know what it is right for me to do, but I'm afraid of the consequences. And because of the consequences, I'm not willing to step up to

the plate and just do the right thing. We see this from, from the, from the youngest of age. No one teaches our children to lie, but it's in the nature of humanity that when we're faced with the consequences, we'll come up with an alternative reality. Did you do that? No. You see these, these cute YouTube videos where the kids, like, you — they got the chocolate over their face. Have you been being in the chocolate? No. They can't see it right on their own face, but they're — no, they — they're like two years old. Like, how do you, how do you even know to do that? But it's in us to avoid the consequences. We don't want it. There's darkness in me, and there's darkness in you. There's darkness in our world.

And this is what Jesus said in John 3:19: And this is the condemnation, that light is coming to the world, and men love darkness rather than light. Men love darkness rather than light. That doesn't seem right, does it? It seems like that, that we would say to ourselves that we love to be in the light. We don't want to be in the dark, because in the darkest uncertainty — in the dark is where I get afraid. In the dark is where hope seems to go away. But Jesus comes and says that, that men love darkness rather than light. There's this brokenness in humanity.

I believe that the reason we don't run to God is we don't know how much trouble we're in. Often times we have — we have convinced ourselves that our life, our situation, our circumstances is not as bad as we think. And we do that because we always will look around and find someone who's in a worse situation than we are, and somehow we feel better about that. Well, at least I'm not that bad. Really? Is that the standard we're going off of — is to say, well, I found somebody who's worse off of me, so I'm really doing okay right now? No, you got to be careful, because that's what the heart will do. The heart will teach you to justify. And man, we get in trouble when we get into trying to justify why we're doing wrong. You see, sin is a big deal to God. It's not a big deal in the world we live in today. It's not — they overlooked so much. There's been a, been a complete moral erosion in our world, in our country, and that's why we're dealing with a lot of the things we're dealing with today. And, and I've, and I've been saying this a lot the past few weeks — it's just really in my spirit right now — it's not just about me staying separated from the world, because the world continually drifts away from God. And if my only goal is to stay 10 feet from the world and think I'm doing okay, I'm in big trouble, because the world keeps drifting. That's why I have to be drawn to something that doesn't change. And God's word is forever settled. And this is the thing that I can build my life on. This is what I can anchor to right here. I can anchor to the forever settled word of God. That's why I have to be sure that I'm not basing what I do in my life off a man's opinion. I'm not basing off of what my society tells me, what the government's trying to tell me. But at some point I got to get down to the real business of studying out the word of God. And what does sayeth the word is what I can build my life on. And for somebody, you need to hear what I'm saying today. People will lie to you to your face, and people will mislead you all day long. But there is one thing you can count on: The word of God is there. It is settled, and God hasn't changed his mind about things. God is not stuck inside of some situation where he can't work him way out. When God settled the word, it was settled. Period.

There's a children's story written by Martin Waddell. The title of the book is "Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?" During the day, Little Bear's playing, and everything is good. He's outside in the sunshine and just enjoying life. As I read the story, I think to myself, it's probably a day like today. It's just great outside in the weather been so nice for us. Little Bears just out there running around, having a good time. But it comes time to go to sleep, but Little Bear can't sleep. Little Bear's wide awake. Big Bear is looking over his bed and says: Can't you sleep, Little Bear? No, I can't. I am afraid. I am scared. Why are you scared? I'm scared because of the dark. What dark, says Big Bear. The dark that's all around us. Big Bear notices that there are corners in the cave that are still dark, so he gets out a tiny little lantern and lights it up, and lights up the room, and says: Now you're okay. Everything's all right. Little Bear says: No, there's still some places that are dark over there I'm afraid of, in the cave. So he gets out a much bigger lantern and cuts it on, so that the whole place is lit up, and says: Now can't you sleep, Little Bear? No, I can't, because of the dark. It's all light in here, Little Bear says, but I know it's dark outside the cave. Big Bear picks up Little Bear and says: Well, let's go out there into the darkness. Yes, I'm afraid of the dark. Big Bear says: But you don't have to be afraid, Little Bear, because I brought you the moon and the twinkling stars. But Little Bear could

not hear, because Little Bear had died of fright. No, that's not how the story — that'd be a terrible kid's book, when it just made that last part up. He couldn't hear because Little Bear had fallen asleep in Big Bear's arms. That's the only thing you're going to remember about the whole message today: Terrible kids' book that I just came out with. Obviously I'm not a writer. Now, that's a good story. Wouldn't y'all like to have like Neil Jess come over with his big, deep, booming voice and just kind of read that to you at night? You could probably get Neal to do that. Let's check in with him later.

What happened? Big Bear took the fear away. Now, I know this may sound overly simple, but the truth is, it's overly simple. You're not alone. I, I don't know all that you're facing. I'm not with you. Many of you today, I don't even know your story. But I can tell you this truth: You're not alone. God sees. He's here. In our world, he sees where we are. And he doesn't — he doesn't stand far away. He's as close as the mention of his name. Matter of fact, he loved you and I so much that he didn't stay far away in heaven. Instead, he said: I'm going to come to where you are. He robbed himself in flesh. He came. He says this in John 8, verse number 12: Then spake Jesus again and them, saying: I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness. Shall not walk in darkness.

Why did he make this declaration? He made it because he knew: Left on your own, you'll walk in darkness. You'll choose darkness over light. But I have come, because I know there are some of you that are not happy about your circumstances. You're not happy about how life has turned out. But I am the light, and I have come to shine into the darkness so that you're not by yourself. You're not facing things alone, but I am here with you. And maybe you've made that decision. Maybe you did something that you're upset about, ashamed of. Maybe you've been living in a secret or in hiding. I'm wondering: Can't you sleep, Little Bear? Not sleeping very well because of the dark. Are you not sleeping very well because of circumstances in your life? Or you're not sleeping very well because of a financial pressure or strength? Or you're not sleeping very well because a relationship is not right in your life? Or you're not sleeping very well because you got some news that you didn't want to get? Let me, let me tell you a Little Bear: You're not by yourself. You're not alone. God is here.

I know it's a simple message, but sometimes it's a simple that we often miss. We don't think about in the moment. Some of you need to hear this right now: The light is for you. You can step into the light today, in your life, no matter what you've done, no matter how dark it is right now, no matter what your past says. God loves you. He came for you. He died for you, to give you hope, to give you life, to give you life in him. I'm here to tell you this: That a baby changed everything. That baby changed everything.

There's, there's a second thing that I see in scriptures that I believe is important for us. I'm going to go back to Isaiah. Isaiah 35, verse number 1, it reads this way. It says: The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it. The excellence of Carmel than Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God.

The desert is not a place you want to hang out in. The desert's not a place where you can build a life. The desert — you face a lot of adversity, and a lot of things are missing and lacking in your life, in the desert. But even in the middle of all that, the prophet goes on in verse number six of that same chapter and says: Then shall the lame man leap as a heart, and the tongue of, of the dumb sing. For water shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parts ground shall become a pool, and a thirsty land springs of water. In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, there shall be grass and reeds and rushes. Streams in the desert — that doesn't make any sense. How could there be a stream in the desert? Because there was rain. Rain had come into a place where there was no water, into a place where there was very little to no life.

You have to understand that this picture is not just of the earth as it is, but of the human soul and the human heart, and the condition that oftentimes we find ourselves in. We are deserts. We are dry. We are barren. We are empty. We go through things in our life that deplete us and take, take away our circumstances, situations. Does anybody know what I'm talking about? Have you ever found yourself in a dry place? Have you ever found yourself in a place where you were — you were longing, and you were thirsty, and it was not being satisfied? In the scriptures, oftentimes we read about the dry and the bearings. Psalms 42 and 2 says: My soul thirst is for God, for the living God. Psalm 63 and when: My soul thirsts after thee. My flesh longest for thee in a dry and thirsty land. In the scriptures, this

thirst is something that is being driven. The, the individual soul is being tormented because something that they desire is not there. Have you ever found yourself so hungry for God, but seemingly couldn't find him? Is anybody identifying with me right now, that you found your — you want to find yourself away from God? Have you ever noticed that, that when you get a little more of some things, that always produces a burst of gratification — the illusion: If I can just get a little bit more, then I'll be satisfied?

You know, it's interesting. I, I, I read another study that talked about — it was, it was an economic study, was put out there. And the question — they questioned people from, from all social economic, uh, uh, ranges, from, from the poorest all the way up to the, to the most wealthy. And what they found out is that the overwhelming — the majority of the people that they polled and surveyed, when I ask: Do you live and have enough financial resources, or could you use more in order for your life to be happier? The overwhelming majority of people responded: They needed about 10 percent more. 10. I've had about 10 more than I make right now. That would be just enough to get me over the edge — be around — no matter where they were, from, from the lowest all the way up to the most extreme. 10 more. You know what that shows me? You're never going to be happy chasing money. You're never going to be happy. That's never going to satisfy you. You got to be careful with the illusion of more. You know, we got to be careful with that, because it'll, it'll take us down roads, and it'll lead us to sacrifice things that we would have never given up under normal conditions. But because we have bought into the lie, we'll sell out. When I spend my life looking for more, I'm never going to be happy.

To me, I, I relate this to, to the, to the kid with the Barbie Jeep, right? I remember when our daughters were young, we, we got them a pink barbecue. And, and, and I remember we got pictures and video of them, and they're, you know, riding around the Jeep. And of course, when I'm falling out and crying, dealing with that and getting back in, all the whole stuff. You know what I've never seen? I've never ran into anybody — because in that moment they were super happy. My daughters were like, like, I'm Dad of the Year. I got them a barbecue. Doing good. But what, but what I've never — I've never ran — I don't know, maybe, maybe you've ran into somebody this way, but I never ran into a 60-year-old that said: You know, my life's been great because when I was four, I got a barbecue. I didn't need anything else from that, from that moment forward. My life was fully fulfilled. And I'm — because that doesn't work, right? It doesn't work. We're constantly needing, and desiring, and, and wanting to have more.

When I, when I think about this, I've got to be careful. Because oftentimes I find that in the world we're living in today, so many people are making this statement: I'm bored. That bothers me. It doesn't bother me because I have kids in my house. Like, I — first of all, that when they make that statement, I run right off the rails. I just do. Maybe you all don't. But I'm looking at them like: How could you be bored? You have all of these things. I mean, my first inclination is to box it all up and sell it, right? Boy, you want to get them going. My wife has this deal, because, you know — you know, you go to, you go to the McDonald's and every place, and they get these little happy helping meal toys. I remember when they were little like that. Why was it a 29-cent toy? But my wife, one time, just one time, got onto them because they didn't pick up, and threw some of those toys in the trash can. Buddy, from that moment, for when she'd pop a trash bag, the world changed at the Allen house. Mama's for real. She'll throw it away.

But in our world today, there's, there's a real, real issue, real problem with people getting bored. I'm not talking about kids, so — I'm talking about adults. I'm bored. Like, where are you at? What, what is going on in your life that you have to constantly be entertained? Now, I spoke about this just a few weeks ago, one of my sermons, and said that to me, it is, it is a simple ploy of our enemy to constantly make you feel like you must be entertained. Because if you're entertained and you're distracted, and as long as you're distracted, then he can run free and do what he needs to do. He can, he can — he's the Pied Piper. He can lead you right down the path he wants you to go. You better be very careful if you find yourself saying, I'm bored. Be careful: What are you allowing? What is it you're craving? What is it you're seeking for? What is it you constantly have to have in your life that says you must be entertained 24 hours a day?

I know people — and I'm not — please don't. Yeah, I've already swallowed the cat. I'm not gonna gag on the tail. So here we go: If you can't go to sleep without entertainment — in other words, you have to constantly have something going, because you can't be left alone with your thoughts — there's a good chance you're not where you need to be with God. That was — that was a really pastor thing to say. When I'll get out on the meddling post, I'm

on the pastor perch. Okay. If you have to be entertained until you fall asleep, I think you better start praying that God helps you figure out how you can get some of that out of your mind, so that you can have some peace. Because, because you should have peace in your life. No, no — I mean, we, we have a sound machine. Is that what we call, a babe? We have this thing that makes noise. It sounds like water babbling. As the older I get, the more I'm thinking through that process. Some of you men in the room will know why. Yeah. We may have to change the wind or something, because every time I get the bed, I'm like, man, I just went, but I feel like I go again — again. No, y'all gonna remember the Little Bear dying in that. That's all we're going to get out of this message today. Stick to your notes, Kevin. Stick to your notes.

Be careful that you have to be entertained that much. Hey, so life will bring you moments where you'll be dry, okay? What I mean by this: There's gonna be times when it's gonna — but those should be moments when you should be seeking out God. Where is the stream you have for me? I'm just gonna speak for me, because I can speak for me and how my life works. I can tell you that it was just a few months ago that I was in a bit of a dry spell. What I mean by that is I was — I was in my normal daily time of prayer, and, and I was, I was really struggling to feel the presence of God there. I knew he was — he was — he was listening to me, all right? He's there. I knew that he was there. I just wasn't aware that he was. I couldn't feel him in the moment I was praying. It felt like my prayers were going no higher than I could throw him. It wasn't — anybody know what I'm talking about?

So what I realized was, I had gotten into a bit of a rut in my prayer life. You guys don't have to admit anything. You guys know I'm transparent. I tell all. So I said to God: God, is it because I have not spoken to you in a different way? And in that moment, I felt him say: Don't treat me like I'm an ordinary routine in your day. Because there's nothing, Kevin, about me that's ordinary. And I immediately repented and said: God, forgive me that I have treated you like a checklist that I have to get off. For you are my God and my Savior. And if there's anybody that I need to be sure that my relationship is right, it is you. And, and again, what I found was a stream in a desert. Something wasn't right. Something, something was off. I couldn't put my finger on — I wasn't living in gross sin. I wasn't, I wasn't doing anything. I wasn't cheating on my wife. I wasn't — oh, none of that. There was just something that wasn't right in me. And I took the moment to try to figure out: God, why are things not the way they're supposed to be? And what I found was, by doing some internal reflection, there was something off. I started treating what was not supposed to be ordinary as ordinary.

When I am aware of these things — when I live in a desert — no matter what I achieve, no matter what I accomplish, no matter what I possess or pursue, it never brings soul satisfaction. There's always a voice that cries out for more. I gotta have more. Jesus comes up one day, and he says, in John chapter 7, verse number 37, he says: If any man thirst, let him come to me. Anybody thirsty? I'm talking about a soul thirst, not a — not a physical thirst. Verse 38: He believes on me — the scripture says — out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. See, see, you can stop killing yourself, and you can, you can let go of the idea that you're ever going to find satisfaction in this world. Because I promise you, you'll never find it. You may find moments of temporary relief, but you're never going to find anything that's going to completely fill the void that is there, because there's a place that God put inside of you that only belongs to him. And no matter what you try to cram in there, no matter what you try to put in there, it's never going to leave you with a sense of being complete or satisfied until you get into a right relationship with God. There's always going to be something that's missing inside of you.

So I'm encouraging you today: If you find yourself in a place where it seems to be dry, and things are not working out the way they want to, cry out and say: God, help me find the stream in the desert that I know you have for me in my life, because I'm tired of living incomplete. I want to be complete. When you do so, you'll find the rain coming into your life.

Psalms 55, first number six and eight — I found one more thing here that I feel like it's important for you to realize about how a baby changed everything. It says: Oh, that I had wings like a dove. Then I could fly out, that I could somehow escape where I am. I'll fly away the rest. I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. Fly aways. Okay. The truth about the human condition that you and I are in is that often times we're either coming into a storm, going out of a storm, or waiting on the storm to come. Have

you noticed that? Yeah. In fact, I've lived long enough to know that sometimes when things are smoothing around, sailing — everything's going good — I'm just like, oh, oh, wait a minute. Things are going too good right now. Anybody else feel that way? Now, I believe God's good. He blesses my life. But things happen. Frustrations happen.

You know, one of my favorite stories that I read in the past few weeks comes from a reading about a child psychologist. He's talking about a four-year-old's having a bad day. Four-year-old keeps getting in trouble. Things keep getting taken away from him. He keeps doing things he's not supposed to be doing. He keeps getting put in time out — and worse, very unpleasant things going on. Finally, his mom's telling the story about this, is — sees the boy standing in the corner, kind of muddling himself, just looking out the window. So she sneaks up behind him to try to hear what he's saying. And he's saying this: I got to get out of here. Anybody ever feel like that in life? Like you're just sitting around like, man, I got to get out of here. Something's got to change. There's something about that that just resonates in there.

You know — oh no — on your picture radio a long time ago, they had a movie called The Wizard of Oz. Very famous song in there. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby, with troubles melt like lemon drops. Oh, that had wings like a dove, that I could fly. Said to me — I read this, I feel like the psalmist is just looking around and said: Man, if I could just flap my arms and get out of here. If I could — I could get out. If I could fly high enough, get above this. If I could just get over the rainbow. I'm in debt, and I can't see my way out. The future looks really bad. I'm in this marriage, and there's a level of pain I never dreamed of. I want to honor my vows, but I don't know if I can make it. I have a child that I love, but she's breaking my heart. I never knew that being a parent could hurt so bad. I feel a depression that's like a bottomless pit, and all I can do is get out of the bed in the morning. Sometimes I can't even do that. Sometimes I just wish I could end it. If there's nothing better for me, Lord, will it always be this way? Oh, that I had wings like a dove.

I feel the Holy Ghost moving right now. I'm getting ready to close. In fact, the musicians can go ahead and come on out, because I feel deeply that God desires to do something, even on baby dedication Sunday. I know I've changed my message approach up a little bit today. I did it on purpose because of that. But I couldn't get away from the truth that is in the word of God, that a baby came and it changed everything. I know usually you preach about Isaiah 9:6 when it's Christmas time. But something in me just said: They need to know today that I came, and it changed everything. If I could just escape seems to be the cry of the day — even for a moment, whether it's into, into some type of entertainment, or drugs, or alcohol, or a website — just, just to put the pain behind me for just a minute. This, the thought: Does anybody even care about me? And God's saying the whole time: I care. I'm here. I came. I came to give you hope. I came into the darkness to be a light, to shine, to show you that you're not by yourself, Little Bear. He knows about what you're going through. He knows about the storm.

Jesus came on earth to take our suffering on himself, to go to a cross. The word of God says he could have called ten thousand angels down, but he didn't. He didn't. He stayed until he could utter the three greatest words that have ever been spoke in all of humanity, when he said: It is finished. He stayed. He stayed, because he loved you. He came, because he loved you. He is the light that shines into the darkness.

I don't know where you are today, but as I bring this message to a close: There is light in the darkness. There is rain in the desert. There is shelter in the storm. And his name is Jesus. But you have to make space for him. He will not push his way into your life. He will not force his way. He will not. He's looking simply to be invited in. My darkness, in my dryness, in my storm, there will be light. There will be rain. There will be shelter. It's available to you, if you're willing. But you have to step into the light. You have to step into the light.

And if it's okay — I feel like it is, I hope it is — I wonder, are you comfortable enough just to close your eyes right now? I'm not gonna force you, but if you don't mind, just close your eyes, because I feel like God desires to do something right in this minute, as I get ready to pray. Maybe there's been darkness in your life, and you, you really like to come into the light. Or there's been a dry place in, in, in the desert of your life — you need to come into living water. Or there's a place where you felt like you would love to have wings so you could fly away. I need you to know that God sees where you are. He sees where you've been.

He came. He came to earth. A baby changed everything, because that baby was the Savior of the world. And he is here today. He is here for you. He can change your life like nothing else can, if you will make space for him. So as I pray this final prayer, I want you to know: This altar area is open. At any moment you feel like, I invite you to move forward, to come to a place where you can get to know him in a deeper way.

God, in this moment, I thank you for the truth that is in your word. I thank you for your presence that I felt. I know your desire is to take the brokenness of our life and to put it back together, Lord — to use what we have went through for your glory and for your kingdom. But God, I feel that there are people here today, they're experiencing darkness — darkness in their life, darkness in their mind. There's a dry place. They desperately need living water. That they've experienced things that they just wished they could fly out of. But right now, in this moment, I pray that they would feel you so near them, so close, God — that you would draw them into a place where they could deepen their relationship with you. Show them, God, that you came, that you loved enough that you came, that — that day, everything changed. Everything changed. God, do what you do best: You take broken things and make them beautiful.

It's prayer time, church. I invite you to an altar today. If there's been anything in this message that's resonated with you, I invite you to come. Allow God to do a work in you that only he can do.