Christmas

We're leaving tomorrow for our two week Christmas visits to Ohio and Pennsylvania. We start in Cincinnati at the Bedinghaus' for a week, then onto central PA to my cousin's cabin and then finally onto my parents for the new year. That means that today I'm cleaning, doing laundry and determining how to pack all of us for two weeks. We're really looking forward to spending the quality time with our families though, so all this work beforehand is worth it. 

However, I wanted to pause and write a bit about Christmas. I'm reading a book, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, by Doug Wilson and it's opening my eyes to things I've simply taken for granted or am immune to about the Christmas story. Things like the miracle that is Jesus obeying his Father and coming to earth as a baby that needed to be nursed and have his diapers changed. The fact that Mary yielded her body to God's plan without even a question, even though she was only a teenager. The fact that Herod killed all the babies under the age of two because he realized Jesus was a threat to him. There are many other things, but ultimately I am reminded and re-taught that Christ came to die for me and my sin. That is the good news of the season, of every season of the year. He came in such an unassuming way that completely turned the world upside down. 

These reminders have been such a comfort to me as I am grieving during this Christmas season, remembering the baby we lost in May. He/she would have been born any day now. That's hard to think and talk about in such a joyful season. I am reminded that we are called to become more like Christ by joining in his suffering, and that even in the midst of trial we can choose to be joyful. "Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4) Let me tell you, I am far from perfect and far from being steadfast. But I can say that the testing of faith does its work to produce steadfastness. This year has been hard and there has been much testing of my faith. I still think I have a long way to go to contentment, trust and deeper faith in God, but I am glad to know there has been improvement over this year and I praise God for that. It is certainly not something I did on my own! It is only by God's mercy and grace to me. 

My prayer for me and you this Christmas season is that we would count our trials as joy as we see the fruit they produce. No matter where you are at, who you are, Jesus came to earth for you. To walk with you through that trial, to mourn with you, to rejoice with you. To die and live again so that you may have eternal life. There should be no happier people at Christmas than Christians! We have been given the best gift there could ever be. 

Merry Christmas!