The Whole Christmas StorySample

Day 14 | Hoping for Healing

The other day I was looking at photos from a wedding. What I intended to be a heartwarming exercise quickly became something else. Many of the married couples smiling at me from 20 years ago have since gone their separate ways. Five of those present have died. I’ve lost touch with some I thought would be "forever friends," and those with whom I’ve remained close have lived through such struggles – as have I. Who among us doesn’t have weak hands, feeble knees, and fearful hearts?

The narrative arc that bends towards a resolution of health, wealth, and happiness is found in fiction a lot more often than in real life. The reality is that if we are fortunate enough to live to old age, we’ll most likely have lost a lot of what we value along the way, including clear sight, sharp hearing, and the ability to leap like a deer!

But we have hope that the death of our earthly bodies is not the end. All that has been stripped away will be renewed in a glorious eternal upgrade – not just human bodies but all God made, and made good, in the beginning. "Be strong, do not fear." We can hope for restoration.

Prayer

Lord God, so much is lost and broken and stolen. It is hard to stay strong. Lift up my eyes to the horizon and strengthen my faith that you are coming to make all things new.