There's
blues this season…, and there's Jesus
By
Michael Mallick, Sr. Minister at Jefferson St. Christian
Church |
Send a link to a friend
[December 16, 2015]
The other day I read a story about a family
that had the custom of putting large plywood letters bordered with
Christmas lights on their roof each year. The letters spelled out
the word, “NOEL.” One year the dad was a little slow in
getting the letters up on the roof. Finally, late one Saturday
afternoon in mid*December, he got the project underway.
|
|
 The letters were large and hard to handle. It was a very windy
afternoon. While he struggled to put these large letters in their
place, he was heard to mutter some very “unchristmasy” declarations
under his breath. At last the job was done and he climbed down the
ladder in triumph. He called his wife and children out of the house
and told one of them to plug in the lights. But when the lights came
on and blazed out against the dark sky, everyone burst into
laughter. Up on the roof, the illuminated letters read, “LEON.”
That story helps to illustrate an important reminder that Christmas
can be a very frustrating and confusing time. Instead of being a
time when people are filled with joy, happiness, and inspiration,
Christmas can become a drudgery. Perhaps this is part of the reason
why Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” became so popular. The key
words of hope, love, and cheer are replaced with hassle, labor,
chore. Strained marriages, the loss of loved ones, and family
conflicts takes the “Merry” out of Merry Christmas. Many people in
the world are searching for meaning and many more find themselves
stuck in a proverbial rut in life.
The true message and meaning of Christmas is that...
* Jesus came so we wouldn’t have to stay in the hole of depression,
fear, and loneliness.
* He willingly came and was born into our world to help us.
* He came as the Light of World to guide us through the dark periods
and to keep us from stumbling.
* He came as the Prince of Peace to restore order to our chaotic
lives.
 |
 If Christmas becomes a time only about decorations,
trees, presents, and wrapping paper, it can indeed be a blue time.
But Jesus came for much more than that.
He came to say...
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest.”
- Matthew 11:28
|
