Joy and Pain

Christmas.

A time of joy and peace.

Love and celebration!

A time for family and warmth and giving.

But for some,

it is tinged with pain and sadness.

For some, it is an aching reminder

of someone precious

who's missing from the get-togethers.

I imagine,

for God and the angels

watching that first stable gathering,

that pain might have stabbed their hearts also,

despite the songs of joy.

For they knew the price

that sweet baby would pay for us here.

And they knew while he alone would endure it,

their hearts were so connected

that his pain would be theirs also!

So to those who's Christmas

is underscored with hurt this year,

know this -

your God shares that with you.

The life he fought to buy us back,

came with deep cutting cost.

But he did it anyway.

Because that is the love

of which Christmas is.

And the hope of which it speaks,

is yours now.

Because he was willing to bear the pain

to gift it to you. ❤️