Greetings to you in the name of our wonderful Saviour, Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! What a lovely Advent morning in the Kingdom! This is one of those interesting times in our church calendar – we find ourselves celebrating a “Kingdom” that is already arrived and yet there is so much more to come…so we are waiting! I trust that you had a safe and warm weekend as you survived the icy weather. It was very strange not being at church…we may have to go twice next Sunday to make up for it. Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to help you prepare room in your life, your heart, your spirit, and your imagination – for the celebration of His Son’s birth.
I have spent a good portion of my early ministry life involved in community and family service ministry. It was always a demanding time, but at Christmas it was especially interesting with much to do. I remember the first Christmas in a large city, dealing with 2800+ families. There were gifts to buy and food hampers to pack and volunteers to coordinate and inter-agency management and public relations and finding personal time with family and carving out time to worship the One who was central to all this. At a certain point in that first Christmas someone asked me what my favourite Christmas song…carol was and that particular day the song that I had heard on the radio that morning jumped into my mind and I said – the song title: If we make though December we’ll be fine!.It was a song by Merle Haggard who had a way of expressing the feelings of people at low points in their lives.
Over the years it has become a bit of a joke because that it not the way I respond to the Christmas season any longer. However I do have a soft spot for those individuals who struggle with the Christmas season and all of the demands that go with it. This past weekend, my wife and I attended a concert put on by a favourite performer…and it had lots of energy and upbeat music and lights and decorations and feel good moments. However there was one song that Johnny Reid performed that had been written for those, who like many of the first Christmas audience, found the expectations and festivities too much to deal with as they faced the realities of life. The song was called…All I Want For Christmas. I know that you are thinking about another rendition,, but this song contained these haunting, sobering words: All I want for Christmas-Is for it all to go away-Right now my only wish is-For my heart to unbreak-I’m holding on to memories-Of the way it used to be-All I want for Christmas-Is to have you here with me.
Now before you jump to conclusions, think of those who have lost loved ones or those who have no family for a variety of reasons or those with broken relationships or even those who have lost their faith. Why not take a moment and lift a prayer for those you know who are struggling with finding their Christmas spirit this year, They may seem a little crusty or ‘Scrooge-like’…but you don’t know the whole story. And why not take a moment or two to thank God for all that you have…Joy To The World!
Something to think about…be blessed!