It is morning on the eve of Christmas. My heart is heavy....for those who are estranged from family. For those who are in crisis. For those who are missing. For those who's loved ones are in the ICU and that has been their "home" as they held the hands of their loved ones. And for those who are sad--maybe by the breakup of marriage....or the lack of family....or by their own chemistry that makes them depressed. I know someone in each of these categories. And it is for them that my heart is aching and for whom I feel the call to pray.
I have spent numerous Christmases in the hospital, both psychiatric and medical. I know what it is like to miss out on the festivities and to be locked inside of your own mind or your own body. There's a lot of "Falalala lalala" --nurses wearing Christmas scrubs and maybe an institutional turkey dinner. But none of that erases the pain. The loneliness.
I read a blog post today by Micca Campbell (http://proverbs31.org/devotions/devo/god-is-with-us/)
And she discusses there her first Christmas after losing her husband while she was pregnant with their first child. She talked about her despair and loneliness. And then she read the Scripture where God's Son would be called Immanuel meaning , "God with us." This morning when I read that it really didn't hit me. My mind was on our family's dinner this evening when I will be so happy to be with the ones I love. But it hasn't always been that way. And it is not that way for some people I know today either. But that phrase came back to me as my heart was bowed low under the weight of empathy. "God with us". He is, you know. Whether you are with family---or you're sick and alone. Or grieving. Or lost in sadness. He is there....with you. And he understands. He was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." And the Bible tells us :
Today: as you face whatever it is that you are facing....cry out to Jesus. I cannot promise that he will miraculously change your circumstance, but he will give you hope for the future and he will comfort you with his presence. He can empathize with you more than any human can.
I have spent numerous Christmases in the hospital, both psychiatric and medical. I know what it is like to miss out on the festivities and to be locked inside of your own mind or your own body. There's a lot of "Falalala lalala" --nurses wearing Christmas scrubs and maybe an institutional turkey dinner. But none of that erases the pain. The loneliness.
I read a blog post today by Micca Campbell (http://proverbs31.org/devotions/devo/god-is-with-us/)
And she discusses there her first Christmas after losing her husband while she was pregnant with their first child. She talked about her despair and loneliness. And then she read the Scripture where God's Son would be called Immanuel meaning , "God with us." This morning when I read that it really didn't hit me. My mind was on our family's dinner this evening when I will be so happy to be with the ones I love. But it hasn't always been that way. And it is not that way for some people I know today either. But that phrase came back to me as my heart was bowed low under the weight of empathy. "God with us". He is, you know. Whether you are with family---or you're sick and alone. Or grieving. Or lost in sadness. He is there....with you. And he understands. He was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." And the Bible tells us :
Isaiah 61:3 New King James Version
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
and
Isaiah 42:3 New Living Translation
He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
Do not blame God for your problems....to do so is to cut off the one avenue of help that you may have available. As these verses demonstrate, God cares for those who are alone and grieving. And right here. Right now He is there WITH YOU...and his heart aches with yours....but he doesn't ache as one who has no hope of a cure. He IS your cure. It was to destroy the works of evil that he came to this earth...To bring health instead of sickness.....to bring hope to the despairing...To bring freedom for those enslaved by habits or who are in a literal prison.
GOD WITH US. GOD WITH YOU and GOD WITH ME
Cry out to Him. He is listening. He cares. You are never truly alone. There is a whole unseen reality right where you are now. The enemy is attacking you to feel sorry for yourself...Or to give up hope. The enemy is a murderer and a liar. Jesus said those very words. Satan would like nothing better than to drive you to desperation.
Today: as you face whatever it is that you are facing....cry out to Jesus. I cannot promise that he will miraculously change your circumstance, but he will give you hope for the future and he will comfort you with his presence. He can empathize with you more than any human can.
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