I haven’t talked to a single person yet who’s planning to have a “normal” Christmas Day. You know, with the same people we would usually spend it with or go travel to see. For Suzanne and myself, it’s just going to be the two of us. Don’t get me wrong, just the two of us is a good thing—we not only love each other, but we happen to like each other a whole lot! But never in our 34 years of our married life together has it been just the two of us without at least going to see someone. And I know for some of you this Christmas, it’s just…you.
And then it really hit me all that Jesus came into. Though we’ve seen the Christmas story in plays and nativity videos that glamorize the birth of Christ into our world, the reality looks more like this:
- Mary and Joseph are going about their “life” when God breaks into their world in a way others can’t possibly comprehend so they are completely misunderstood and judged.
- They say yes to God’s plan, but that doesn’t mean everything happens smoothly. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
- Mary has to ride a donkey nearly 100 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem in extreme discomfort in her final trimester. Are you kidding me? You women who have borne children would know better than I just how miserable that would be.
- She and Joseph are given zero choice in the matter because it was mandated by the government.
- As Mary is about to give birth, they don’t have a real bed to sleep in. They don’t have any family or friends around to support them during the delivery or to celebrate with them after the birth. This is not what they envisioned.
Does any of this have a familiar ring to it?
But I thought God invited them into his “plan?” Surely God’s plan can’t include all of this, right? I mean, right??
And yet, this is the stage that is set for the entrance of the Prince of Peace and Savior of the world. This is God’s plan.
God’s plan is for Jesus to enter into our broken world and into our pain. Emmanuel, God with us, stands with us when we are judged and misunderstood by others. He journeys with us in our discomfort. Jesus lifts our spirits up, up above any and every circumstance and invites us to sit with him at his banqueting table of love where you are seated at this very moment as he honors your choice to welcome him as your King. He assures you: “You will never be alone. I am with you. In this moment, and always.”
Without question, this Christmas is a very different one. We all feel it. Yet, each one of us is in the midst of God’s plan. Something beautiful is being birthed out of this time that we couldn’t possibly comprehend. Christ in us, the hope of glory, is emerging at just the right time.
Suzanne and I love you all dearly!
Brent | 
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