In the Bleak Midwinter

A blessed Advent to you! As the scripture says, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light..." and this is what Advent is all about. The darkness and despair of the world was absolutely invaded by the bright and shining light of Emmanuel—God With Us—and this season reminds us that His brightness is what changes the hearts of men even still. His light is ever-growing and ever-spreading, just like the candles we light each week, and we are reminded that nothing can or will overcome His light. 

I'm exploring a theme this year of songs that have impacted me deeply, and would love to launch today's thought from a beautiful poem by Christina Rossetti called "In the Bleak Midwinter". It was set to music at some point in history and is now a beloved Christmas carol, and I encourage you to listen to this sometime today, by your favorite artist, as you reflect on the following thoughts...

For those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, Christmas comes at a time when all the world is cloaked in the garment of winter. I have spent a lot of time pondering the seasons, and am continually in wonder at the rhythm of the four seasons built into creation. The newness of spring gives way to the steady fruitfulness of summer, followed by the brilliant refreshing and reflection of autumn, leading into the quiet contemplation of winter...and then it starts all over again. Perhaps it would have been this way even without the tragic events in the Garden of Eden so long ago. Winter, particularly, is such a reminder of the goodness of God. Without the death and barrenness and shedding that comes in winter, there can be no glorious spring. Without the cold and dark and rest of winter, there can be no birth and new life and fresh growth.

So how fitting it is that we celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus in this particular season. For all of the many brothers and sisters who live in the southern hemisphere, I am sure that there are also many lessons that can be learned from celebrating Christmas on summer vacation! But as most of us reading this live where it is currently winter, please allow me to share some thoughts about the four emphases of Advent in the light of God’s resurrection power.

Hope
Think of the dreariness and hopelessness of life without Christ...what if He had never come? There would be no churches or all of the loveliness that they stand for, no hospitals or soup kitchens or pregnancy care centers, no loving and forgiving your enemy, no redemption or reconciliation or restoration, no Christmas, and no Easter.

But He DID come, and now we live in the amazing place of HOPE. Jesus was born as a sweet and helpless infant, to a young couple who delivered their special child on the road, and from that momentous night, the world has never been the same. With His coming came all of the promise of a renewed Eden—for God so loved the world that He made, that He gave His only begotten Son to save it. And one day we will all live together in the Garden, with God among us, as it was meant to be.

Hope is filled with Resurrection power. The enemy thought he was winning when he enticed the powers-that-be to kill Jesus to save their precious status quo, and when he enticed Judas to betray such a wonderful friend with such a treacherous kiss. Yet how wrong that wily rebel was: Jesus' death brought all of us life! JESUS DEFEATED DEATH! Death no longer has the final word. Now we can actually live—hope is alive, and flowing through the heart of everyone who believes in Christ. 

​Peace
A common understanding of the word PEACE is simply a time without war or conflict. But there is so much more to it than that! The Biblical understanding of peace means making things complete and whole, as in a complex system fitted together and in perfect working order. When such a system breaks down, peace is lost...but when it is restored, peace is a strong and flourishing reality. 

One of my favorite psalms is Psalm 133, written at the special and unique time in history when all of God's people were actually getting along. 

Behold, how good and pleasant it is
    when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
    life forevermore.

Please note the last verse: it is there, in peace, that God COMMANDS the blessing of life forevermore! When we choose to forgive one another, to think highly of one another, to believe the best about one another, there God commands His beautiful blessing of life. What a lovely ideal! May God help us to allow the resurrection power of peace to flow through our relationships. 

Joy
There are so many things in the world that claim to bring a person joy, yet none of them deliver: money, status, power, position, substance, education, acclaim...all are found wanting. There is no way to artificially manufacture real joy. 

But in Christ is found true joy. Furthermore, that joy in Christ is our strength to face the world each and every day. 

I am reminded of a time long ago that my boyfriend and I spent a semester apart. I had gone ahead and moved on to Texas, and he had remained for one more semester of athletics at the university where we met in California. I am sure that all of the people in my new church just rolled their eyes every time I brought up my wonderful boyfriend that would be moving our way at the end of the semester. I couldn't help but talk about him, often—he was the person that I thought about all the time, and that I centered my life and future upon. 

Of course, that boyfriend is the man who became my beloved husband, now of thirty-three years of glorious marriage. He has been such a godly husband, a wonderful father to our children and grandchildren, and a superior best friend. Yet, as much as I have put my faith in a man, how much more can I put my faith in my Savior? 

Each and every day spent waiting on Jesus is a joy. He is our strength, and gives us so much excitement for what is to come. One day soon, there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth where He will dwell with us in person. There will be no more death or sorrow, and life will be as glorious as God intended it to be when He created this world! This same joy fills our hearts today, and with its resurrection power can change every conversation we take part in. 

Love 
In His high priestly prayer that we can read in the book of John chapters 14 through 17, Jesus said the wonderful and stirring words, "Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends.“ As we celebrate Christmas and the birth of our wonderful Savior, it is hard not to think about what His birth ultimately means. Even the magi recognized what was to come in their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh--which was an anointing oil for a dead body. Even as we celebrate the great news of Emmanuel, God With Us, we are all aware of what his life meant: death.

Greater love has no one than this, to lay down his life for one’s friends. And this is what real love is—a choice, a commitment, a for-better-or-for-worse, for-richer-or- poorer, till-death-do-us-part kind of love. The world is lying to us when it says that love is a feeling that can ebb and flow, that friendship is something to be tossed aside at the first sign of difficulty or trouble, that family is something that can be shed or walked away from.

Real love, God‘s love, stays.

Real love, God's love, forgives.

Real love, God‘s love, is self-sacrificing.

All of this is wrapped up in the most beautiful Christmas gift ever given:  God‘s only Son born that He could die, giving His own life so that all of us could get ours back. 

And this same power that raised Christ from the dead is flowing and working in and through all of us who believe in Him. The hope of Christ, the peace of Christ, the joy of Christ, and the love of Christ are the greatest gifts which He has freely bestowed to all of us. 

This Christmas, receive these gifts in a fresh and new way.  We live in a world that maniacally demands that we be against one another and put ourselves higher than everyone else. Rather than give into these base impulses and temptations, allow these beautiful, generous gifts of God and their resurrection power to flow through you! Forgive the one who has hurt you. Refuse to be a part of  the modern slander machine. Turn away from division and dissension and the vessels who sow such vile things, and instead bring hope, peace, joy and love into every relationship and conversation. 

I pray that God's goodness flows through your heart and home this Christmas.  I love you very much!