Cyndi then called my attention to the living room where a lighthouse wind chime hung in the corner. Then in a cabinet in the kitchen, we found a cookie jar in the shape of a lighthouse. As we went through the rest of the house, we found lighthouse candles in the bathroom. In the house we had lived in for the past 15 years, we had decorated our bathroom with lighthouses. To us it was further confirmation that God was indeed directing us to this house and community. God used all of this to confirm this in our spirits.

I have had a few bad experiences that have taught me never to assume anything. In fact, I feel more confident when things are clarified and confirmed in writing. I don’t like leaving things to chance.

Recently my wife and daughter-in-law were searching the internet for a good price on airfares for our son Chris and his family to fly home from Seattle for Christmas. After searching a long time, they finally found some low fares. I still didn’t have the assurance until after their reservations were confirmed. I rest more easily knowing everything is confirmed.

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines confirmation as “establish the truth or correctness of (something previously believed, suspected, or feared to be the case): . . . state with assurance that a report or fact is true . . . make something, esp. a person’s appointment to a position or an agreement formally valid; ratify . . . formally declare.”

Because God loves us, He confirms His Word and will for us in many different ways. In the Old Testament God answered Gideon’s fleece. (See Judges 6:37-40.) God confirmed His Word to King Ahaz by causing the sun to go backwards ten degrees! (See Isaiah 38:8.) In the New Testament God confirmed, His Word by many signs and wonders. (See Acts 2:22, 43; 8:13; and 14:3.) God also confirms His leading and direction to us by the witness of the Holy Spirit, the quickening of a certain scripture, and occasionally by confirmation tailored uniquely to each of His children.

The story is told of a young man who had a “falling out” with his parents. He had left home and was gone for several years. Finally he decided he should go back home. But he was worried that after all the bad things he had done and the many years he had not communicated with them that they would not want to see him. So he wrote his mom and dad a letter asking their forgiveness. He told them that on a certain day he would be passing by the old homestead on the train. “I’ll understand if you don’t want me to come home,” he wrote. “But if you do, just tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree in the backyard. I’ll be able to see it from the train. But if not, that’s okay. I won’t get off. I’ll just keep going.”

On the train, the young man grew nervous as he neared the old farmstead. His seatmate noticed something was wrong and asked if the young man was okay. The young man explained his long estrangement from his family and about the letter he had written. “We’re getting near my home now and I just can’t bear to look at the oak tree. I’m afraid that there won’t be a yellow ribbon around it and that I’m not welcome.

The young man’s seatmate replied, “If you want, I’ll look for you and let you know what I see.” “Thank you’ replied the young man. “I just can’t bear to look.”

The older gentleman’s eyes grew wide and his mouth gaped open as he saw the oak tree come into view. “It’s bad news isn’t it?” said the young man. “I didn’t think that there would be a ribbon. They don’t want me home.”

“Oh it’s not,” replied the gentleman. “You’ve got to look and see for yourself. Take a look!”

As the young man looked out the window of the train, he was amazed to see that every branch of the tree was covered with yellow ribbons. His parents confirmed their love for him.

Over 2000 years ago, God confirmed His love for an estranged world. “God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

You ask, how much does God love me? “This much,” said God as he stretched out his arms on an old rugged cross and died for your sins and mine.

Have you confirmed your love and faith in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for you?
“For as many as received him gave he power to become sons of God even as many as believed in his name” (John 1:12).