My family had a wonderful Christmas yesterday. As usual, we are reminded that we are so fortunate and blessed as we had way more food, gifts etc. than we could ever need.
Each Christmas morning we normally eat a bit of breakfast (my mom’s breakfast casserole) and then we read the Christmas story from Luke followed by a quiz. As a kid, the quiz was always so difficult not because of the questions but because of the anticipation for the presents. I used to always try to push through and get my dad to hurry up and pray.
This year, instead of my dad praying for us, we each went around the living room and prayed. This was my favourite moment of our Christmas yesterday. I feel so blessed to be part of a family that is so grateful for our blessings but also one that remembers the needs and hurts of others.
I was moved to tears thinking of family and friends who have passed away this year. I can’t imagine the pain of a first Christmas without a loved one. My heart hurt for my friends in England who don’t enjoy the holidays because of the missing presence of a loved one and family difficulties. My heart hurt for the young people that I work with. My heart hurt as Heather prayed for the same needs of her young people in South Africa. God was present in our living room as we cried out for the needs and hurts of others, remembering that Christmas is about the hope of Christ to a hurting and broken world.
On Sunday, Larry, the pastor of the church my dad works at, presented a brilliant message. He spoke from Matthew 2:13-23 with the central point of his message being that Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy for a hurting and broken world. As you read these verses you see words like flee, kill, furious, brutal action, anguish, weeping, mourning, dead, and afraid. These words describe the world Christ was brought into, the situation he was found in. In addition to all the brokenness and hurt, he came from Nazareth, where nothing good was to ever come from, to bring hope. Christmas took on a very new meaning for me this year, one of hope for a broken and hurting world.
It was wonderful to have Heather join my family for Christmas. Heather and I are looking forward to spending the next week and New Year’s with her family and friends in Colorado. We leave tomorrow for Denver so please pray for good weather.
May we be like Christ, bringing hope to a hurting and broken world.
Chad
