Set Free at Christmas

The Christmas season tends to bring a sense of longing for those that have passed away. I submit to you that those feelings should be tempered as we reflect on the fact that we have so much to be thankful for, and to rejoice over, as a result of God’s gift to us at Christmas.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 

¹⁶ So they hurried off. – Luke 2: 8-15a

Many of us may be familiar with this scripture passage; a detailed account of the magnitude of THE announcement. I encourage you to re-read this passage while imagining yourself in that very moment over 2000 years ago. Go ahead… I’ll wait.

I imagine a group of rough and tumble shepherds, going about their business that night. Perhaps they were sleepy; most certainly they were unaware of what was about to happen to them. Without warning, an angel appears in a most magnificent way to make the most important declaration the world has ever heard. Then, as they were likely trying to absorb the angel’s announcement, a “great company” appeared to them belting out what I imagine to be the most beautiful chorus ever hear by human ears.

But for me the key component to this portion of the Christmas story is what the shepherds did next. They “hurried off”. Imagine yourself having heard such great news, and in a way that likely frightened you to the edge of consciousness.  Imagine understanding the magnitude of the message and then stepping out in faith to go witness the very subject of that message. Even the wise men, educated in scripture, “hurried off” from their homeland to see the Messiah. This news is our news also. It applies to us the same as it applied to those shepherds, wise men, and mankind long ago.

The joy brought about by this news can be swallowed up in grief and despair, however. Mere memories of those who have departed fail to fill the void in our hearts as we long to be with them during this wondrous time of year. For Deb and I, we would have loved to share gifts of baby toys with Jacob, and watch his young eyes light up during his first Christmas. And yet, those memories won’t be made for us.

This longing, and this void, can create a terrible cycle of self-pity, doubt, depression, and perhaps even a desire to avoid celebrating Christmas at all. I have felt a tinge of this, and maybe some of you feel this way too. I can only express the feeling as something like being tied or restrained, without the inability to move on and accept the full experience of peace and joy.

Well, today I resolve to end that and I hope you join me too. The message of Advent is too good to allow it to pass us by. The coming of our Savior means that God is with us, and has redeemed us. The new has come and the old has passed away. Our relationship with our Creator is firmly established. We are no long bound by the heavy yoke of despair, remorse, anxiety or mourning.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. – Galatians 5:1

We should not continue to mope and remain sullen over the loss of a loved one. We have faith in the freedom from death we have gained through Christ. Therefore, we confidently throw off the yoke placed by the temptation to remain in our sorrow.

When we remain in sorrow, we can’t accomplish the marvelous things He has called us to do. Beginning today, join me in throwing off that yoke and “hurry off” to share this Advent message. Don’t wast another moment.