The holidays bring about so many emotions. Some of us are on cloud nine: we are joyfully anticipating Christmas day, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the season, shopping, decorating, and eating the appropriate holiday treats. Some of us, though, dread the holidays. The feeling of loneliness and isolation are never as strong as when the holidays approach. The preparation and excitement are unnecessary and suck the joy right out of the season. Most of us, I venture, are somewhere in the middle. We like the holiday, but get annoyed with all of the "noise," or get easily stressed with all of the prep.
The one in the first scenario may wish that things will never ever ever change about this time of year, while the other two think they never will, although they could do with a little bit of holiday cheer, hope, and love.
Consider Ezekiel 37:
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”
When Ezekiel had this vision in the valley of dry bones. he did not seem to see much hope (why would he?). When asked, "can these bones live?" he replied (possibly with a smidgen of sarcasm) "Lord, you alone know." Can you relate to that answer? I can! I probably would have answered something like: "I have no clue, God. You know everything so why don't you go ahead and answer your own question and let me know. It is really possible for things to change like that?" In the middle of a vast valley of death, Ezekiel could not see what God saw---the possibility for new life.
So, this holiday season, my hope and prayer is that you may have new life through Christ. If you are an avid Christmas season enthusiast, may you see and experience the meaning behind it all---to share God's gift to the world in the baby Jesus. If these weeks are some of the most difficult that you face all year long, may God give new life to you and your "valley of dry bones" by showing you the love of God. And for those who are somewhere in between, may God's love show up in surprising ways, maybe even in the joy of picking out a perfect present or hearing that perfect holiday song right when you need it.
In the birth of Christ, God has shown that God is after each of us. Christ is the embodiment of relationship with God, given to us. May God's gift be a blessing to you this holiday season. Amen.
In Christ,
Jack
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