Loneliness
Read Psalm 68:1-6.
It's the most wonderful time of the year...for some. It's the hap-happiest season of all...for many but not for all. This time of year, generally full of jolly songs and seasonal smiles, can evoke some other emotions in those who have lost loved ones around this time of year, those who find themselves suddenly unemployed or underemployed, or even those who are lonely in December or maybe year-round.
For some, this time of year is a reminder not of what is coming, but of what (or who) is not coming. That loved one is not coming back. The marriage is not going to be restored. The friends are not coming over for a Christmas party. Nevertheless, to fit in, some paste a smile on their faces, trudge through the crowds at the mall, bake the cookies and pretend everything is okay. And woe be to us if someone finds out we're not as happy as we think we are!
We forget that even in the midst of the first Christmas, shortly after the angels sing and the shepherds rejoice, there were mothers weeping. The timeline is not entirely clear, but somewhere within those first two years of Jesus' birth, there were children murdered and mothers weeping as Herod tried to get rid of the newborn king by killing all the babies of Bethlehem. Christmas has a difficult and painful side to it.
And yet, what an opportunity we have as believers in the baby of Bethlehem to offer hope and healing at this time of year. Not in an artificial way, but in a genuine way—in the name of the one who sets the lonely in families, who is a father to the fatherless and a defender of the widows. When the psalmist says God sets the lonely in families, he seems to be referring to one of the primary functions of the Hebrew household: to watch over those who have no one else, to welcome in the stranger, to extend hospitality to the ones who have no one else.
Might that be a calling God's people today need to recover? Who are the ones "outside the walls" who need welcomed, encouraged, and loved this Christmas season (and all year long)? Our family has had a couple of occasions where, on a holiday, we have been able to welcome to our table folks who otherwise would have been alone for the day. I don't know what their experience was, but it was a blessing to us to be able to share what we had with those who were lonely—to do what God wants us to do in following him. For he is one who sets the lonely in families—whether that's a biological family or a church family. How can we recover that spirit this season and live out our place in the Father's house?
By the way, a week from yesterday, December 21, is the longest night of the year. On this day, many churches will have a "Longest Night Service" or a "Blue Christmas Service." If you (or someone you know) find this to be a difficult season, find a place to go to seek hope, healing and encouragement. If you're interested, information about the service at Mount Pleasant is here.
It's the most wonderful time of the year...for some. It's the hap-happiest season of all...for many but not for all. This time of year, generally full of jolly songs and seasonal smiles, can evoke some other emotions in those who have lost loved ones around this time of year, those who find themselves suddenly unemployed or underemployed, or even those who are lonely in December or maybe year-round.
For some, this time of year is a reminder not of what is coming, but of what (or who) is not coming. That loved one is not coming back. The marriage is not going to be restored. The friends are not coming over for a Christmas party. Nevertheless, to fit in, some paste a smile on their faces, trudge through the crowds at the mall, bake the cookies and pretend everything is okay. And woe be to us if someone finds out we're not as happy as we think we are!
We forget that even in the midst of the first Christmas, shortly after the angels sing and the shepherds rejoice, there were mothers weeping. The timeline is not entirely clear, but somewhere within those first two years of Jesus' birth, there were children murdered and mothers weeping as Herod tried to get rid of the newborn king by killing all the babies of Bethlehem. Christmas has a difficult and painful side to it.
And yet, what an opportunity we have as believers in the baby of Bethlehem to offer hope and healing at this time of year. Not in an artificial way, but in a genuine way—in the name of the one who sets the lonely in families, who is a father to the fatherless and a defender of the widows. When the psalmist says God sets the lonely in families, he seems to be referring to one of the primary functions of the Hebrew household: to watch over those who have no one else, to welcome in the stranger, to extend hospitality to the ones who have no one else.
Might that be a calling God's people today need to recover? Who are the ones "outside the walls" who need welcomed, encouraged, and loved this Christmas season (and all year long)? Our family has had a couple of occasions where, on a holiday, we have been able to welcome to our table folks who otherwise would have been alone for the day. I don't know what their experience was, but it was a blessing to us to be able to share what we had with those who were lonely—to do what God wants us to do in following him. For he is one who sets the lonely in families—whether that's a biological family or a church family. How can we recover that spirit this season and live out our place in the Father's house?
By the way, a week from yesterday, December 21, is the longest night of the year. On this day, many churches will have a "Longest Night Service" or a "Blue Christmas Service." If you (or someone you know) find this to be a difficult season, find a place to go to seek hope, healing and encouragement. If you're interested, information about the service at Mount Pleasant is here.
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