This is the most wonderful Christmas I have had...
I have said this over and over this year. Advent has been wonderful, I told my praying friends. I think I will keep it up until Jesus comes again. Then I will just be with Him totally and completely.
As I have posted my decorating and how absolutely Merry I am...in the back of my mind I have also been thinking about loneliness. How since the fall and the separation from God that we all still battle loneliness. If we are still and quiet and don't feed it with the world we will sense its presence.
I also thought about those that this is a hard time of year. We have all read the comments for those with compassion.
One thing I have ask myself over and over...why did Christ come. Why...
There are so many thoughts here that man has made simple and complex. It is inexhaustible. Yes only man, God man could die for the sins of man. It was the only way to have a perfect man to pay the price for imperfect man. It had to be God. But God could not die. He had to become the perfect sacrifice.
He brought us near to God again. But this time through His Spirit indwelling in us. We all are just as called as Mary, the virgin, who had the indwelling of the living God with in her wound. Us within our hearts is the very Spirit of God, for those who are His. Never to be separated.
Christ had to come incarnate us to know our pain, suffering, in every way we would know it. He had to know the affects of the fall on us to save us. There is nothing you will ever experience that Jesus does not know first hand how you feel. Because He is the answer to it all.
He came to destroy the works of the devil. The one thing the devil has against us is our sin. He tempts us and then makes us feel guilty. Christ came to take away our sins. We are justified. Just if I never sinned. This is how we are to God. Sinless, spotless, righteous with His righteousness, really, right now!
It was a design to bring Him the most glory through a broken world. Bringing life out of a dead humanity. It is a beautiful plan through suffering and bringing wholeness and peace.
So is Christmas for the Merry?
I am sitting here sick, but much better. My family will not be together this Christmas for the first time in my motherhood. This is the first time I could not make my Christmas Merry for some of my children. This year it is up to them and being with those they love other than me.
The plans I have had for weeks of exploding with joy to my family on Christmas day are not going to happen.
So who and why did Jesus come? For the Merry?
So this Advent I finally know...
Jesus came not for just for the Merry but for the broken hearted. The ones who won't be with family as they hoped. Maybe it is a mixed family, a separated family, a broken family or no family at all. Maybe there has been abused and oppression and death and illness. Maybe there has been more sadness for your loss of those you love than you can hardly bare. Whatever your pain or your suffering Jesus knows it and He came near. Emmanuel. He is God with us! He is our Peace. We are told Jesus came for the sick not the well. This is all of us.
He does not fix our painful circumstances always but He moves with us in them. He redeems them in time but we do not always know when that time will be. But it is a promise from Him to us. Don't be afraid to claim it. He loves it when we believe Him. Hebrews 11 talks about the people who believed but had not seen in their lifetime. Can we see the hope?
It is not a celebration of the good life or the perfect people or the easy circumstances. It is a celebration of Christ. The baby, not born in a castle but in a dirty, smelly, dark manager. He brought light and hope and celebration to a people and a world that cannot fix themselves or others or find life in anything they have tried...He really is all I have. Even in the midst of my struggle I know, He really is all there is. His grace and His mercy to me. This is the cry of the brokenhearted.
So He is with us, Emmanuel
So why does He say, do not fear, I am with you?
Why does He say, be anxious for nothing but pray to me? Tell me all about it. I love you
Why does He say, Grace is for the humble? I am with the broken hearted. When you hurt I am near.
Why does He say forgive as you are forgiven? I forgive you more than you can know or understand. You could not bare it all.
Why does He say, you were lost but now you are found? I will direct you, ask me.
Why does He say I have come to Redeem you? There is no condemnation for you in Christ. I will make all things right again but oh so much more.
I will give twice back what Satan has robbed from you.
Why does He say I am the light of the world. I will bring you out of darkness.
Why does He say I am the way, the truth and the life. Know my truth. It will set you free. Believe in me.
He is the great Physician, the healer, the comforter.
He knows all about you and He adores you more than you can ever imagine.
He tells us not to do the very thing He knows we will do and He says... I am,
CHRIST IS THE ANSWER TO ALL
So this is still the most wonderful Christmas I have ever had.
Because my family and I know this is a celebration of Christ. I have sat in His presence and in His glory and rejoiced over Him. I must say this is the first year I have even come close to seeing His deep love and care for me in ways I never understood before. I think all I had to do was say what a great Christmas it was for me for it to fall apart. Like I am going to see if it is really true. We have all, you and me, been hurt and have hurt. We crucified our Lord but we stand today forgiven. We have laughed and played and had great joy in our lives. May this Christmas bring more peace and joy than you have ever had because Christ has come. He has brought hope to a broken dying world.
He is the Prince of Peace...the Fourth Advent
So I have come with a message for you...you know who you are...my dear friend, the hurting, the sick, the abused, the oppressed, the anxious, the fearful, the alone, the struggler, the misfit, the ones with regret and a horrible past too painful to look at, the broken...Don't say this Christmas is not for me...I am sad. You are the very reason there is a Christmas. He came for you, for me. To give us a peace, in a horrible circumstance, this world does not understand. To bring glory to Himself. Because it is not of this world but of Him. Go to Him, tell Him, seek Him. You may not be at a place where you can see it now. The pain maybe too great. But the more you remind yourself of His love for you the more you will be able to see a glimmer of light in this dark, dark world.
He has a wonderful plan for your life...It is to know Him intimately. It is to turn ashes to beauty for His praises. He is in control and He is with you in the midst of it all. He will be found. Peace on earth, good will, toward men. Merry Christmas family. I love you dearly.
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