I would be
dead without hope; “If your Law had not been my delight then I would have
perished in my affliction.” This is why
Christmas matters. It is all of Christ
and all of hope made tangible. I
realized early on that I was capable of good things; I have lofty goals and a
romantic disposition. Beauty causes my
heart to soar. A brisk wind stirs my
soul and music makes me
sing. I want the best for humanity but I
am not deceived. I do not expect world
peace.
I am
capable of great evil. Christ constrains
me. Without hope hedonism becomes my
god. I will feast on food and flesh and
never be sated. Never. Knowing this about myself at times leads me
to despair. And the world we live in;
let’s not even begin. So much dark. Which is why Christ living here as a man
makes Christmas of bedrock importance to me.
I feel
awkward and out of place. I don’t fit
in. This is my normal experience. God gave me my wife, daughter and some close
friends to make it through. Christ knew
loneliness. You’re God living in flesh;
pitching a tent among humans. You know
what not fitting in feels like.
Christ put
up with all the junk that I do. The
selfishness of men and the unruliness of individuals; poverty, hunger and
sickness experienced all firsthand. I
live with my brokenness. Christ sees
into the heart of man. Wicked governments? He was crucified by them. Sin his stripes. Whores
his best friends---you think they didn’t share their torment, shame and anger
with Him? I am reminded of the song by
Rich Mullins, ‘the whole world rests on the shoulders of a homeless man; He had
the shoulders of a homeless man.’
Christmas
is being known. It is that
beautiful mystery; ‘For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with
our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are; yet
without sin.” For He is the image of the
invisible God…by Him all things were created…all things have been created by
Him and for Him…He is the beginning and the end. Christmas is all about hope. Being fully known I’ve been bought by the
blood of Jesus. He is with me in my
struggles here where I don’t fit in. He
has reserved me a place imperishable and undefiled. Finally home fully known. Entering into rest and realizing hope.