“And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, ‘Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.’ And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’” Luke 2:25-35
December is a festive time of the year with lights, presents, good food and family gatherings. It’s that time of year when children are told the story of Christ’s incarnation in Sunday school and hopefully at home as well. Many of them will also be involved in Christmas programs that either reenact the story or convey the sentiment of Christmas. However, the focus will be on all of the happy parts of Christ’s birth while the more sobering bits will be left out. Further, while many of us will enjoy some amount of pleasant celebration, the reality this Christmas will be very different for many. It may be more painful than sweet or it may be a mixture of the two. While I have no desire to undermine anyone’s joy or celebration, I would like to address a few of the painful aspects of Christmas that one rarely, if ever, mentions.
With a betrothal that didn’t go quite as planned and a birth in a stable, if they hadn’t figured it out already, Simeon’s blessing of God and words to Joseph and Mary just after Christ’s presentation in the temple would make the new parents begin to realize that God’s wondrous plan for them would include dark spots that offset the glorious announcement of the heavenly hosts and the later arrival of the Magi to worship Christ. Christ is most certainly the Savior of those who will accept Him, He is truly the Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and He is the glory of the Jews despite the fact that they, as a nation, rejected Him…and there’s the rub, He would also be the downfall of those who rejected Him, He would be opposed and the pain of His rejection and ultimate death on the cross would bring much agony to Christ, Mary, the disciples and others. However, the pain would not wait until His ministry began. Within a short period of time Mary and Joseph would be fleeing to Egypt due to Herod’s fear and rage. Later they would learn that the male children in the vicinity of Bethlehem were slaughtered because of their Child’s birth. Can you imagine the distress of a mother realizing that the birth which brought her such joy would bring so much pain to others? So while Christ’s arrival brought out the heavenly glory due the birth of God incarnate, it also brought much pain and ultimately the eternal damnation of many in Israel. These are the bits left out of the plays and pageants. However, like Simeon’s wise words, we would do well to consider the whole picture including the painful parts. With this approach, we are drawn to personal reflection regarding how we live and our relationship with God as well as celebration.
Our observance of this holy event will likely include mirth, fellowship, love, peace and joy, but for many this year there will be pain. The effects of sin and Satan’s attacks will not cease merely because much of the world is celebrating Christ’s birth. There are still wars, persecutions, sickness, poverty, addiction, discord and death to name a few. Forget celebrating, there are those who will be grateful if they are warm, dry and fed. Social media is currently ablaze with posts about those who will be missed during the holidays and frankly that is the inspiration of this post. Further, I am personally aware of woes affecting those around me. They include difficult news, sickness on top of sickness, death and the specter of death…and that’s just this week. With this in mind, consider three issues that often affect those of us in relative comfort: loss, depression and illness.
The loss of a loved one can significantly dampen the festivities. It may arrive predictably or by surprise. I remember last fall after the death of my father, I was pulling into the garage and realized that it would be my first holiday without him. In that momentary lapse, I hit the side of the garage causing minor damage to both the vehicle and the house. That grief just appeared out of nowhere. Even 20 years after my mother’s death, the pain of her absence is still felt. Further the type of loss doesn’t matter. Whether it was an anticipated death, an unexpected one, an aging parent or a miscarried fetus, loss is loss and it is painful. If this is your situation, I encourage you to acknowledge it and work through it, remembering that the birth we celebrate is that of the Prince of Peace and our Consolation. Pour your heart out before Him and allow the peace that surpasses all understanding invade your soul. Engage with others even though it is difficult and allow them to ease the pain and prevent isolation and spiritual attack. Finally, be grateful. If you feel loss, then there was love. Whether you enjoyed that love for a long time or a moment, that love is a gift. For those who have died in Christ, how could we ever wish to delay their heavenly reward? They have received the greatest gift of righteousness and sinless existence with perfected bodies. While that reality does not in itself ease the pain, it does provide a balanced perspective that allows us to endure, heal and rejoice in God your Savior.
Whether event oriented or physiological, depression is often a heavy load to bear. Further, it may be exacerbated by the expectation to be joyful. On any given day it may be hard to rise above that dark cloud, but an added requirement to be exuberant can be too much to bear and often sets us up for failure. If you can relate, again I would encourage you to turn to the one whose birth we celebrate. For Christ is not only the Child in the manger, but He is also the Man of Sorrows; He is our Savior who redeems the events of our lives as well as our souls; and Immanuel…“God with us” who does not leave your side. Allow the light of His glory and His word to invade you. Set aside any expectations and allow the peace and wisdom of Christ reign and guide your soul. Glorify your God in the Highest because of His love for you and the peace that He offers.
There’s nothing like chronic illness, pain or both to make celebrating difficult. In my case, my worst enemies are chronic fatigue and a bowel disease. On days like today, it takes much effort just to get through the day. With added neighborhood, church, friend and family events, there is little time for recovery and the burden becomes heavier. The fact that many of those events involve food makes what is for most people a joyful time become an endurance test for me. It often feels like a major physical contest. Yet, despite our limitations and to the extent that we are able, we must endure and make the effort to celebrate the birth of Almighty God who sustains us, the Great Physician who heals our souls as well as our bodies (whether in this life or the next), and Jesus who was “made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17) We do this to the praise and glory of our Lord for His sustaining grace and thereby testify of His goodness to those around us.
The painful truth of Christmas is that the story of Christ’s birth, like all other realities of life, also includes pain, suffering, rejection, and fear pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of the One we celebrate. Likewise, our own stories often include pain, suffering, rejection and fear. Consequently, we may endure significant barriers to our joy and celebration this season, but joyful we should be. For it those very trials that draw us near to God and allow Him to draw near to us. We celebrate because those trials produce endurance and perfect us. We celebrate because we know that the sting of death, pain and suffering is conquered through the sacrifice of Christ. We celebrate because God is with us and sustains us. We celebrate to tell the world of God’s goodness and grace in spite of our pain. We celebrate because there is no one beside Jesus who is forever the hope of our heart.
If you are joyful this season, praise God. However, please be sensitive to those who are struggling. If you are struggling, look to the hope of Christ; rise above the pain to celebrate the One who overcame sin, death and pain; and testify to the world that Christ is greater than your pain and suffering. No matter your demeanor, remember the church at large; pray for those who are persecuted; and, to the extent that you are able and have the opportunity, relieve the suffering of others.
May God’s salvation, sustaining grace and peace be yours this season and always,
Will