I can’t imagine losing one of my children.
A friend recently lost her adult child. Seeing her grieve ripped my heart out. Through her deepest faith, the pain and loss of that child will forever be like a burr in her heart. The holidays are forever tainted for my friend.
Christmas should be a time of joy. After all, God sent His Son that He might save us. For the most part, the season is joyful. Still, when I turn my Christmas tree on at night and listen to the sweet sound of the nativity music box play Silent Night, I find my heart ripping in two.
The birth of Christ changed the world and eternity as we know it. God gave of Himself, the ultimate Lamb – a living, breathing child. His birth impacted so many lives.
Joseph’s life was turned upside down. His bride-to-be carried what the world called “illegitimate” but what the angel called a miracle. And God chose Mary, a child herself, to bear the Son of Man. Though His birth was nothing short of miraculous, His death tore a hole in the world. Mary sat at the feet of her dying son as the blood puddled around her knees and God Himself looked away, heartbroken. All this … to show His love. To save us.
He did this all for me. Am I worthy?
Christmas is a joyful time for family and friends, but for me, it’s also heart-wrenching. There are no packages under our tree that can come close to the magnificence of God’s gift. The unique thing is that His gift is free. I simply must accept it.
I am grateful for the “gift that keeps on giving.” Just knowing the magnitude of the sacrifice humbles me every time I think of it. A child, born to carry the weight of the world, sent freely. And though we know the end of the story, it didn’t change the loss of child for Mary and Joseph … for God Almighty.
As humans, I’m not sure we’ll ever feel worthy of this gift, but God saw us as fully worthy. He gave His all to prove that to us. Christmas is so much deeper than bows and gifts. It’s about the strength of the purity of love. True love.
As Christmas nears, reflect on the child who gave His all that we might have life to the full.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Cindy K. Sproles is a best-selling, award-winning author. She is a speaker and a conference teacher who teaches nationwide. Cindy is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries, www.christiandevotions.us, and www.inspireafire.com. She serves as a writing mentor with WRAMS (Writing Write Author Mentoring Service) and is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.