Several years ago I shared some musings on how the Christmas story is one of turmoil and pain. I've been thinking about that more during morning prayer here at Sonlight. The prayer requests are typical of our fallen world -- sickness, death, conflict, even international incidents that make it to our ears -- but the timing feels extra painful.
"How horrible to lose a father right before Christmas," someone says.
It's true. While the rest of the world rejoices, we find our lives rocked by one hurt or another.
Christmas Pain
On one hand, I'm so thankful for the passage about rejoicing and mourning with people. We can do both at the same time. It's not at all hypocritical -- through producing a bit of emotional whiplash -- to celebrate the birth of Christ and an annual unity with believers while also crying with a hurting friend, relative, or even on your own.
Christ is our Redeemer, our Savior, the One who makes things new.
That is still in process.
But you don't have to fake it. This is real life, and He came into it to heal us, pour out grace, and remind us to keep looking to the Father.
As I blogged before, there are many things about Christ's birth story that sound very similar to today (divorce, politics, death threats, and more). This is Christmas.
Your house a mess? Your life in upheaval? You feeling beaten down because of this or that?
This is Christmas.
You fit right in.
Come, let us adore Him, the One who came to address our hurts by setting aside His divinity and sacrificing Himself for us.
This is Christmas.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Pseudo-Dad
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