Heartbroken Holiday
“Hear my prayer, Lord,
listen to my cry for help;
do not be deaf to my weeping.
I dwell with you as a foreigner,
a stranger, as all my ancestors were.”
Psalm 39:12
“After gathering up torn ribbon and piles of ripped Christmas wrapping, the young mother carried trash out to a back alley. Their traditional Christmas morning had been cut short when her three children said, ‘Hurry up, Mom! We have to be at Dad’s by 10:00 this morning.’ At the beep of his horn, all three raced out the door to repeat the gift-giving scene with their father, his new wife and her two children. They would be there all day and then leave on a trip for the holidays. Suddenly, both house and heart felt alone and desolate. She sat on the warm hearth of the fireplace allowing tears of emotion to run free. Then with an overwhelming sense of loneliness, she cried out to God.”
This scene will be repeated countless times during the Christmas season. While the holidays are a happy, festive time when we celebrate the arrival of Immanuel, “God with us,” remember our Savior focused so often on the brokenhearted (Psalm 51:17).
Jesus proclaimed “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted…” (Isaiah 61:1). What a comfort to widows and single parents during Christmas! Psalm 34:18 underscores again, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Loneliness is a state of sadness which comes from feeling cut off from others. If this describes you, join the psalmist in crying out to God, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:16). If you are not isolated, ask God to reveal someone in your neighborhood or church to whom you can show his love, compassion, support, and friendship. Find a person who is wounded and hurting. Give the best gift this season; be the hands, heart and smile of Christ.
Lord, show me someone this Christmas to whom I can be a companion and helper. Reveal to me that one who is wounded. I wait for your answer…
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