I am not sure about you, but 2020 has felt like both the longest and quickest year all in one breath. This year we’ve seen a complete upheaval in how we live our daily lives and how we interact with each other. Our country also has gone and continues to go through a season of unrest.
The pandemic has changed much these last months. With many schools closing or going to virtual only, ICA has seen tremendous student growth. We are thankful families have given ICA and our amazing teachers the opportunity to step in for their child’s education. Did you know that ICA teachers have been teaching at ICA for a combined total of 396 years and have a combined total experience of over 1,300 years in all of their teaching careers? That’s incredible!
If you are a high school senior, I am anxiously hoping for an in-person ceremony, but we will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases and health official recommendations. If we do not have an in-person ceremony, we will offer virtual events similar to the 2020 graduation ceremonies. For those of you who have lost a family member due to COVID-19, I send my most sincere condolences.
Some days, I just want to fast forward to a time when everything is back to normal. I am reminded, however, that none of what is happening is surprising to God, and there is nothing He can’t use for His purposes and for our good. My perspective on time is so exceptionally finite when compared to God’s.
Christmas is often a time when we reflect on Christ’s birth and anticipate when He will come again, but I would encourage you this season to meditate on God’s perfect timing. Sometimes, it is easy to forget in our small, human minds that God is absolutely the author and creator of time.
Galatians 4:4-5 reminds us, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (NLT).
During Christmas, we celebrate the Advent season. We anxiously count down to Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior. We celebrate that Christ came down to Earth to reconcile the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). Do you realize how long Israel waited for Jesus to be born? God first promised the birth of Jesus in Genesis 3:15 to Adam and Eve. God immediately had a plan of redemption right after the fall of man. God weaved it into His story. He knew the right time for Jesus to be born.
If Advent tells us anything, it tells us that God is a keeper of His promises. He keeps His word. He promised a birth of a Savior, and He was faithful to deliver Jesus. In our mind, it may seem like a long time to wait, but it is just a blink for God. With that said, neither I nor anyone else knows when our world will get back to normal. Maybe everything that has happened due to the pandemic causes some lasting changes. I have no idea. What I do know for sure is that God will use this time in 2020 to help shape us to be better equipped for kingdom work and be ready for life eternal with Him.
I am grateful for a God whose thoughts and ways are far beyond anything I can think or image. I am so happy to be able to celebrate the birth of Christ and hold onto God and His perfect timing. I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.
Brightest blessings,
Julia Ellis
ICA Principal