COMFORT AND JOY IN OUR GRIEF

(Post by: Michelle Hobbs Blogmas Day Four 2023)

I write this as the rest of my household sleeps. We are all exhausted from grief. Our beloved dog of 14 years, Ruby, is actively dying. We will lose her today, and I find myself keenly aware of the suffering in our fallen world and longing for the hope of the day when Christ will wipe away our every tear.

I would imagine that each and every one of you reading this post has felt loss and longing as well. I know that some of you are currently feeling it as deeply as we are. We are praying for you.

I have been asking the Lord, how can I write something about Christmas at a time like this; when I am utterly heartbroken. This is to be a joyful time of year, isn’t it?

He brought to mind some of the old Christmas hymns that speak of mankind being aware of their fallen nature, their separation from God, and their desperate need of reconciliation with Him. Along with that, came the reminder that Christmas is the most joyous time, but not because of decorations, gifts, or parties. The things that we have made it into.

Christmas is joyous because the Lord took on flesh, dwelt among us, died to take away our sins, delivered us from the evil one, and reconciled us with God.

The lyrics to songs such as O Holy Night which says, “Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Til He appears and the soul felt its worth” are playing in my mind.

Or God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen which says, “God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay, remember Christ our Savior, was born on Christmas day, to save us all from Satan’s power, when we were gone astray, O tidings of comfort and joy.”

My question to myself and to you is this. Do we feel the same sentiment regarding Christmas as these song writers did in days long past? Do we understand that we are in sin and error? Do we take time to ponder the most wonderous fact that our Savior was born to save us from that sin and error?

I pray that our answer is a most resounding, YES!

We then can take a lesson from these songs about how we are to respond; in what manner we are to celebrate this, and every, Christmas season.

O Holy Night goes on to say, “Fall on your knees; O hear the angel voices!” This is a holy time; the time when Christ was born. Are we worshipping Him in the manner He deserves?

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen ends with this, “Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place, And with true love and brotherhood, each other now embrace; This holy tide of Christmas, all other doth deface.”

Deface means to mar the appearance of, impair, or destroy.

Dear friends, let us no longer deface Christmas. Let us, this year, and all the years we have left, fall on our knees and sing praises to the Lord. For He is so good! Even in, especially in, our grief and longing.