Comfort is often lacking in our Christmas celebrations. Yet the holiday season is one of the most difficult for those who are hurting. Each of us knows someone who is alone, struggling, and in pain. We must share hope with those who have none, and meet them on their own terms to let them know we care.

 

 

2MefromHim Devotional

The Gift of Comfort

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you… 1 Peter 1:3,4

Comfort. The holiday season brings grief and depression to many people. How do you celebrate when your heart is broken, dreams destroyed, and loved ones missing?

“Mom, we can’t have Christmas this year without Grandpa.” My eleven-year-old son voiced my own tender feelings. Only two months following the sudden death of my father, I didn’t feel like celebrating anything. How could I offer comfort and help my children understand the reason we must celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ into the world?

With tears in my eyes, I shot up an arrow prayer. I needed an answer with power to comfort my heart and my son’s. And God provided the words. “If Jesus wasn’t born as a baby, He couldn’t have grown into the man who died for our sins. Jesus’ resurrection at Easter is the promise that we will see Grandpa again. The hope of spending eternity in heaven is why we must celebrate.” The gift of the Christ Child means nothing without the sacrifice of His death. Comfort.

Remembering the crucifixion and resurrection lends a special perspective to Christmas. The Babe of Bethlehem was born to die for MY sins. His birth, life, death, and resurrection are inextricably linked with the hope of all mankind. Without His death, we would have no reason to celebrate His birth. It is the reason for our hope and the basis of our comfort.

The emptiness of secular Christmas celebrations frustrates me. Without Jesus, Christmas is just another reason to party and compete to give the best and biggest gifts. People spend too much, eat too much, party too much, and drink too much, none of which has anything to do with the reason for the season. Secular celebrations are void of hope and comfort needed by those who struggle.

Do we focus on the birth of the Savior or is Christmas simply a winter holiday? The Christ Child brings eternal life. A winter holiday distracts from the true meaning of life.

Our family has determined to make Jesus Christ the center of our celebration. Do we give more to the needy than to those we love? Do we reach out to those struggling with grief and depression to offer whatever comfort we can? Do we say “Merry Christmas” and point to the reason we rejoice?

Jesus Christ is the greatest gift the world has ever known. Let’s honor Him with our gifts. Tell others why we celebrate. Give Him center stage at our celebrations. Reach out with comfort and understanding to those whose hearts are broken, inviting them to our homes, understanding if they can’t accept, and showing them we care.

The gifts under the tree are worth nothing compared to the Man who hung on the tree for me.

© Copyright Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, December 7, 2012 & December 17, 2017

About the author:

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 41 years. They have two adult children. If you’re interested in connecting with her, you’re to follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.