Gracie Girl Blog

Isn’t that the beauty in Christmas, in life, and in grief – that Jesus always comes.

This December death has come to mind a lot. Probably because this year has been full of reporting daily deaths from the virus, but also because with the holiday season of rejoicing comes with a heavy reminder that all is not merry and bright all the time. This semester I’ve heard of a handful of friends’ grandparents and dogs passing away, before Christmas last year I was attending a funeral for a friend’s mom, and this month eight years ago we were getting ready for the passing of my Poppa. All reminders that what we have here is temporary.

So what are we supposed to do with Christmas when nothing looks like the movies, when presents are the last thing that could fix our hurting souls, when there’s a vaccine to Covid but still no cure for cancer or solution to the fact that the death rate is still overall 100%.

The facade of Christmas often does not hold up against real feelings. The lights, the food, the bells, the tree, and the candles all struggle to bring celebration when we do not feel the celebration.

Especially this year, in December of 2020, there is a record amount of grief. Grief for the lives unexpectedly lost this year, grief for how this year was supposed to go, grief of how this year will affect next year and years to come. Collectively, we are a grieving nation and world and its okay to feel that.

The story of Christmas can be told a bunch of different ways with emphasis on different people and virtues each time. In two words, I think you can sum it up as Jesus came. Like when the superhero shows up just in time to save the city, like in romcoms when you think its over but someone turns around before they get on their flight, like the people in your life who show up and remind you your feelings don’t have to match the sparkly lights outside. He came. To be with us, to save us, to redeem the dying world.

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

This Christmas, I have a special appreciation for the fact that these words in Isaiah we read and sing every year were written hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Years and years the people of God waited for Jesus. As they waited they were enslaved, they lost hope, they turned from God and turned back, they were set free again, and the cycle continued until Emmanuel, God With Us, was born to set the new way. I love the words to the hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel:

“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.“

Oh how we still wander in exile without Jesus, how we stay captive to the things of earth when we forgot we can cling to a good God. The old order of things has passed away because of Jesus (Revelation 21:4), there is a new way, a new hope, a new freedom which the powers of the world cannot take.

Whether you feel like you have a lot to rejoice in this Christmas season, or nothing at all, rejoice in the good Savior who comes. He came so many years ago and comes today, in 2020, to rescue and redeem us. He’s the Lord who relentlessly pursues, who does not let his people stay captive. Wow am I thankful for Jesus.

I don’t really know how much I’m in the Christmas spirit, but I do know I’m really thankful for what Christmas represents, I’m really thankful I can celebrate my Jesus today and everyday. I invite you to celebrate Him with me today.

Merry Christmas friends! ❤