Christmas is here once again. Because our family is scattered from Missouri to New England to New Jersey and because of work schedules and other commitments, we won’t see each other this year. But because I am blessed with a wise wife, a Proverbs 31 woman, the Christmas presents are done. Already received and opened.
And our hearts were touched when one of our daughters wrote: I hope you all know how much you mean to me, even though we’re so far apart.
I see a parallel here: even though we were once so far apart from our heavenly Father, He wanted us to know how much we meant to Him. So He gave us Jesus to show His love, to provide the way, to bridge the gap that separated us from Him. And I am so grateful the gap is gone and He is the core of my life.
This season can be hard for some people, especially if they’ve experienced the loss of a loved one during this time of year. Christmas has never been the same for us since our eldest son went home to Jesus a few days before Christmas in 1993. The reasons why aren’t as important anymore because we know he is with Jesus. Yes, we miss him and we talk and dream about what his life and our lives would have been like if he had stayed.
Our Father’s gift of Jesus heals the grief and makes the unanswerable tolerable. Our Father’s gift of Jesus gives us the strength and peace of His love to continue on, to focus on the plan He has for us, and to know that our son awaits us. Our Father’s gift of Jesus gives us hope and to me that is the joy of Christmas.
Beautiful thoughts, Henry. Merry Christmas!
Beautiful and very touching post! Thanks for reminding me that although God is a magnificent, all-powerful Creator, He is still my Abba Father who offered His one and only Son that I may have life.
? I believe the biggest teaching of the Savior to influence my life has been – ” He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” ? I believe that we all make mistakes, and I am grateful to a loving Savior in whom I have a hope of infinite mercy.