I have had several friends and fellow ministers pass away recently; they are missed greatly as persons and the Kingdom of God was served well by each. Though they are now enjoying the rewards of their labors and the presence of the LORD, their many friends and more so their families are gripped with the pains of loss.
As we rapidly approach the Christmas celebration, no doubt their pain of loss will be felt all the more. There will be notable empty chairs and conversations without these special persons. I suspect because their passing were unexpected a recent, there may be presents already purchased that remain unopened and not enjoyed by the purposed recipient. My heart reaches out to those in grief.
Then there are the many that I know who are struggling with varied, and serious, physical difficulties this Christmas season. Thankfully, some difficulties will be relatively short-term; sadly, others will not go away unless God steps in and does something miraculous. For these and others like them, even in the midst of good people and happy times, they will be constantly reminded of how miserable they really are. My heart reaches out to those in pain.
Over the past two weeks, I am daily reminded of the horrors of powerful and deadly wildfires raging throughout Southern California. Some have lost life; many have lost homes and all they possess in this life. Homeless, helpless, lonely and desperately wanting life to go back to some form of normalcy; perhaps in tears remembering the ghosts of Christmas past, and how it was before the days of the fire and the fear . . . wanting so badly to go back to an earlier time. My heart weeps for all who are displaced and grief stricken.
There is another group of people who struggle in these holidays. There are moms and dads who simply cannot afford to buy the gifts for their children which they long to be able to give. Society has caused this heavy felt burden to give gifts to your friends and family members and the feeling of being less a person, less a parent, when they cannot because they can barely afford to put food on the table. My heart bleeds for these parents; I have been right there.
This Christmas many families will be divided by death, divorce; some family members will be on the mission field serving their LORD on the celebrated day of His birth. Other families will feel the absence of a loved one serving our military far from home, some in hostile lands. Both these families and these patriots and servant will have intense loneliness on that wonderful day of family gatherings. My heart weeps for their loneliness.
All across this nation, indeed, this world, there are millions who are struggling through all kinds of hurt; too many struggles to mention them all here. This is a scary world we have built for our young people to inherit, to live in, and to hope to repair. And somehow in this holiday season, people are forced to experience their pain more deeply than most around them are even aware. My heart beats sporadically because of the hopeless feelings of victims of all sorts of horrendous disasters of life, natural, and man caused.
Somehow in the midst of all their hurting, pain, sorrow, grief, and struggle, I pray dear God, they each will see and cling to the hope of the Gospel. I ask LORD that they will be able to see the eternal blessedness of the resurrected Christ, Who first rose out of the cradle and then the tomb of His crucifixion. My heart is filled with the hope that many will find comfort needed in Christ Jesus this Christmas in spite of any adverse circumstance.
My heart also prays that those who have the message of the Gospel to give will not withhold the giving because of their busyness in the holiday. Believer, pay attention to the people God places in your path as you go about your Christmas activities. Look into each face and be aware of struggle or pain. Sacrifice some of your celebration and comfort to help another in need. Sometimes one smile or kind word makes all the difference in the world to open a door of sharing the Good News of the reason for this season. My heart is in each believer with a message of hope to share.
A word to all who hurt for any reason this Christmas: It is hard to rejoice when you hurt so deeply in heart or body while it seems the whole world around you is celebrating, making you feel invisible. But, my friend, the same God Who loved us enough to send His only Son sees you, and understands you more than anyone else — and He is closer to you than anyone else can be.
Father of the LORD Jesus Christ, the Reason for the Season, our Heavenly Father, I pray for the hurting souls today. –My friend, no matter what you are going through, no matter how critical your situation is or feels, may our God encamp around you, your life, and your situation to give you His peace and mend your broken heart and body. –LORD, I pray their Christmas will be a time of reconciliation, healing and peace. May Your love be all around them filling their hearts with all that You are for them; giving them an inner Joy that lights, glitter, garland, and gifts cannot afford. Give to them the gift of Your Son this Christmas, in His name, Amen!
