good news

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday.  Rewind 23 years and you'll find me laying on the daybed at my grandfather's house on Christmas Eve.  There is a noise outside and I'm almost sure that it's reindeer hooves on the roof.  My cousin, Emily, agrees and we let our imaginations run wild.

As I've grown older, the magic has faded a little bit and although I still love Christmas, it never quite feels the same as it did when I was 8 years old.  I keep thinking that this will be the year that I'll return to my childlike love of Christmas, that my heart will feel light and full, and that it will literally be the "happiest season of all".  But each year, there seems to be something that's weighing heavily on my heart.  And I always think to myself, "If _______ weren't happening, I could fully enjoy Christmas" or "If I could just __________, then it would be perfect."

This year was no different.  A few days ago I pulled out my Christmas decorations and felt my heart sink while I combed through the boxes.  Another less-than-perfect Christmas.

The next day (as I was chopping carrots), I started to imagine the people of Israel before Jesus came to earth.  It says in Isaiah, Chapter 9, "the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.  On those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned".  So, the people were living in darkness....as in, they couldn't see the light.  Scripture told them that a Light was coming, but they didn't know when or how or where.  They needed good news.....desperately.

They were waiting.  in the dark.

And then He came.  and brought Light.

He brought good news to people who were aching and longing for it.  I don't know about you, but I need some good news this Christmas.  I need some Light.

Without realizing it, I've labeled Christmas as "the happy person's holiday"; a holiday for people whose life is going just right.  And if things aren't going just right, then the magic of Christmas is lost.  But what if Christmas were actually "the aching person's holiday"  or "the lonely person's holiday"?  Wouldn't that change it entirely?

Because maybe the sorrow makes us realize how desperately we need Jesus to come.  Come to our aching and weary souls and bring life.  Just like he came as a babe to that dirty manger, and because of that, changed the course of history.

**********

Christmas is joyful, but before Christmas comes Advent.... the season where we wait, we anticipate.....and are reminded that we need Jesus to come to us.  So if all you can do is bring your heart to Jesus and ask Him to COME, you've celebrated.

If your soul is weary, or heavy, or lonely.  ........ Christmas and Advent are for you.  Let's wait and anticipate His coming.  Not just the one thousands of years ago, but the one we desperately need to happen.  right now.