During this season, the emphasis is on joy, happiness and celebration. As followers of Christ, we have reasons for great joy as we remember the birth of Jesus the Savior.
For many, the season is less about celebrating than surviving. Alongside the smiles and greetings of “good cheer” are those who simply wishing to “get through” these days. Next to the wrapped presents, hiding delights are the unwrapped boxes of lives filled with hurts.
This morning, I opened an email to discover that a pastor friend of mine elsewhere in the country weighed the hidden hurts in his life against the joy of the season- and he allowed the hurts to win over the joy. He leaves behind a grieving and bewildered church and family.
At Christmastime, God gives the entire world a reminder of his overwhelming love, patience and presence. The birth of Jesus causes us to annually stop and remember God who has not left the “phone off the hook” in the midst of our trials, and the struggles of the world. That in the birth of Christ, we have the opportunity to reflect that there is hope despite what we are seeing or experiencing.
It takes special courage in a person to come alongside someone who is struggling. Most people want to avoid those who seem down, lonely or depressed. We tend to shy away from those who we feel will “steal our joy.” This season is filled with people, who because of events in their own lives, or the actions of others feel lost, alone and abandoned. This Christmas, can we especially be on watch for those who are sidelined from the joy of the season. May we, by God’s leading, step out of our carefully orchestrated holiday plans, and with courage take a step into another’s world.
In the wonderful prophesy of Isaiah 11, Isaiah describes the realm and impact of the coming Messiah. That His rule and reign will be one filled with peace, “The wolf will live with the lamb…”
Christmas reminds us that the Messiah, Jesus has come. His reign of peace has begun, and one day it will find its culmination. In the meantime, may each of us be prepared to be His ambassadors of peace to all we meet- especially those we tend to pass by.
The sound, the message, of the joy of Christ’s birth needs to be repeated as often as we can, because we never know whom we pass that may need to know that the joy of Jesus can overcome their hurts.