Christmas, 1977
On December 9, 1977 I arrived home from work… and left my heart at the door. I was sure my apartment had been robbed. As I walked room to room, furniture was missing. So many things were gone, there were some things I didn’t realize were missing until much later. However, things began to take on a different tone, when I walked into a small room where our new, 3-day-old huge, round bed was supposed to have been, and was now gone.
My worst fears were confirmed when I opened the closet doors finding only my clothes and none of my (first) wife’s. She was gone. My stomach turned. I didn’t know what to do. Everything felt terrible. Questions of why kept popping up. I know that early that evening, I went to bed hugging a Bible my mom had gifted me upon graduating from high school two years earlier. I prayed, “God, I don’t know or understand anything in this book, but please help me.” I tried reading through it but couldn’t understand anything. I wondered if what I read wee things that had already happened or were happening there and then. I cried myself to sleep wishing next morning things would be different, but they weren’t.
I jumped on my bike and headed to my parents in the 20 degree weather and told them all that had happened. Mom couldn’t believe it. My father, though, said to her, “I told you, I told you something like that was up and was going to happen.” Needless to say, I felt horrible. I felt lonely and confused. I was embarrassed especially the following week around my five older brothers and their wives when they arrived at my parents’ home for a Christmas dinner. I really felt like I was a failure compared to them.
Time moved very slowly during those days, especially as they dragged into months. Throughout the pain, the heartaches, the loneliness, and the confusion, God was there though I didn’t know it.
The heavenly Father knows all-too well what loneliness is. He knows hurt. He understands rejection. He lived through (Jesus) rejection and betrayal. Every pain you and I have ever felt or experienced, Jesus knows and lived through as well.
As you dry your tears and as you blow your nose, Jesus is right there beside you sharing in it. As you shake and wonder why over and over, He’s there feeling all the hurt and anger you feel. You’re not alone. For tender or painful moments like these, He came to reassure us of His presence and involvement in our lives.
Just as He put a rainbow in the skies after the flood to assure us it would never happen again; He gave us a most-definite assurance through way of a sign of His companionship: His Name:
Emmanuel, God with Us. To show He knows our pain and confusion, The Counsellor. To remove the chaos within us, The Prince of Peace. When we’re dealing with oppression, suicidal thoughts, or other demonic activity, He’s The Mighty God. When we need the reassurance or confirmation that He’s not just “passing through,” but here for the long haul, He’s The Everlasting Father.
Yes, Christmas is more than gifts, lights, meals, snow, reindeer, elves, and Santa. It’s about Christ the Savior of the world living with us and within us. Whether your marriage is on the rocks, almost over, or you’re going through some real tough things, God’s here for you this Christmas Day. This good news can be summed up in another of God’s great Name, Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6). I can attest that He can turn your life around like He did mine! He showed me the way out of the pain and the bad memories through His unconditional and unrelenting love.
God Bless!
Merry Christmas!
Sam