I love Christmas, it wasn’t always like that, there was a time when I felt isolated and alone at Christmas. Then Christ came to me and it all changed. It really did. Psalm 68:6 says that ‘God settles the lonely into families….’ and he really does. And it isn’t a judgement on our own families, you can have the most wonderful family in the world, but still have something missing, and that something is meaning and that meaning is Jesus.
However, he does also physically settle you into families and he can do that with people in churches (from my own experience) and he does that in other ways too. In my own experience, he gave me and Chris to each other and he gave us our kids, from both before this and after. And it hasn’t been plain sailing, relationships never are, but it is good.
Yes, I really do love Christmas. And it’s really cool here, because there’s very little pressure really, I’m not in a mad rush to get things done. We’ve been shopping and can get a few bits along the way. The jeep is working again by the way! Thank you Jesus! The part came and Chris fixed it that night. And I was able to get out before I went nuts.
Anyway, back to Christmas, I do love it, but I’m also painfully aware of tragedies and mourning and broken hearts for various tragic reasons this Christmas. We’ve probably all seen the reasons for this on the news or in person.
There are so many who are mourning or in deep depression for so many reasons and the season can emphasise their heartbreak and losses. There aren’t really any words to say on this blog about all this, apart from, it is possible to have joy and have your heart break over all this stuff happening at the same time. for those who are mourning, mourn! For those who are observing and believe – Pray. Pray for those who have nothing, pray for those caught up in situations beyond their control. Pray for the families of those who have lost loved ones. Pray for those who are abused, those who are confused, those who are on their own, those who are grieving, lonely, ill, wondering what is the point. Pray. God is good and He will answer prayers. Do what you can practically as well, if an opportunity comes to help or just be with, be a friend, or listen – do it. Love well. Jesus teaches us how to love well. He gave himself for us.
Enjoy what you have, help where you can, don’t forget we have a Jesus who entrusted himself to humans as a baby and grew up and then suffered for us. If you want to know where he is in your suffering, I can tell you, he is right in there with you, with you in every part of it. He is the light that never fails. Even when it feels like we have nothing, we have everything when we have Him. If you don’t know Him, or don’t believe in Him, He is still there and He still loves you and He still died for you. He’s just one step away and will always come if you ask Him.
Anyway, I’ll leave it at that now.
Happy Christmas folks!
Cathy.
The Shepherds Adventure 