All You Want for ChristmasSample

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

"It's the most wonderful time of year. With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer. It's the most wonderful time of the year."

Think

I have always loved this time of year. Some of my earliest Christmas memories are decorating with my mom and sisters - opening boxes and boxes of garlands, greenery, ornaments, and lights while Christmas records played. The house was transformed into a magical place. I loved all the anticipation and preparation. Still, even as a kid, I remember feeling an incredible letdown on Christmas day. A discontent straight out of a Peggy Lee song, "Is that all there is to Christmas?" It's over? That's it?

As I get older, my discontent at Christmastime has turned to grief. Even during the most wonderful time of the year, I'm sad. The glitter, good cheer, and generosity of Christmastime cannot cover up the darkness of this sin-sick world. In fact, this time of year often magnifies our sorrow. Christmastime exposes great holes of grief as we miss our loved ones, recognize our loneliness, and give up our unrealized hopes and broken dreams.

Henry W. Longfellow captures this tension, "And in despair I bowed my head: 'There is no peace on earth,' I said." Then the hymn writer says, "Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.'"

Apply

Christmastime is wonderful, but it isn't enough. The lights, the carols, and the family traditions are fine. Still, after 24 days of anticipation, Christmas day is a letdown.

But Jesus isn't.

Precisely because of who Jesus is, what Jesus did, and what Jesus will do, we can both celebrate and grieve with hope and joy, even in this broken world. We echo the yearning of Old Testament saints as we sing the Advent hymns through tears with gusto. We can enjoy the small temporary joys of Christmastime with the ultimate hope of a perfect right world at Christ's second coming. It's hard, but also, it's wonderful.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5

Pray

Lord, help us to celebrate your birth with joy in the midst of our sorrow, always remembering what is to come. Thank you for this hope!

Author - Kate Lab is the Senior Director of Communications at The Factory Ministries; wife to Joe Lab, pastor of Hershey Mennonite Church; and mom to two precious children.