Christmas isn't about family [seriously]

Something clicked for me tonight.

I'm kind of a night owl.  Always have been.  Couldn't even really take naps when I was a kid.  I was always awake.  Never really enjoyed the prospect of having to go to bed.  It's always seemed like one more task that I don't really want to do.

Tonight was one of those nights.  Quiet.  Son and wife in bed upstairs.  Me down in the recliner in the living room.  Very peaceful.

On a whim, I grabbed my guitar, and was plucking around on it.  Nothing in particular.  Just enjoying some time alone.

Eventually, the "nothing in particular" became Christmas carols - and for some reason, Away In A Manger.  Something about that first verse grabbed my attention:

Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down his sweet head

As I hummed and played, reflecting on those lyrics, I began to think about the little kids right here in my community who are like him - just like Jesus - having no crib for a bed.

That's a sobering thought. 

Kinda brushed the dusty sentimentality off of that song and let the truth shine through it for a bit.  I like it when God does that.

So I let that wash over me for a bit.  I began to thank God for what he's given me - a good family who raised me, a wonderful wife, good house, good son, good church.

Then I began to think how rare that really is - how few people could tell a story like that or thank God for those things, since they never really had most or sometimes even any of them.  Instead, most could tell of how messed up their childhood was, or when their parents divorced and how hard that was, or how they never really knew their dad, or how they hated the holidays because they bring with them all of the pain that they don't have to think about the rest of the year.

And then this came into my head:

Christmas isn't about being with family, I thought.  Christmas is about God being with us. 

I wondered if by us making Christmas so much about family that we don't sometimes alienate those who don't really have families - distancing them from the transformational truth of Christmas: that God came to earth to make a new family, where we all could become his sons and daughters once again.

I continued to play and hum, letting that speak to me.

And then I heard some dissonance.  Sour notes clashed with the melody coming from the guitar... although they weren't coming from the guitar.  Gradually, the dissonance crystallized into a cry - coming from the member of my family who thinks that the best thing in the world is a banana, milk, and Curious George at 7:30 every morning.

And I never do this - ever, simply because of how cliche it seems - but I took my guitar up with me to his room.  The little guy was standing there in his crib, pacifier still in his mouth, blanket in his hand, waiting expectantly for either me or his mom to come and recognize that he was snotty, didn't feel good, and didn't really know what to do about it.

Fair enough.

So I picked him up for just a bit, felt him rest his head on my shoulder, then put him back in his crib.  Covering him with the blanket, I propped his head up underneath another one.

Then, I sat down and continued to play and hum Away In a Manger.

Be near me Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there

Eventually, I heard my son's sniffles turn into snores.  As he slipped back into sleep, I continued to sit there, enjoying a moment that my son is not yet old enough to even remember.

And I thought:

This is God with us.

This Christmas, at Prairie Lakes Church, we've created some space for all of us to enjoy this wonderful new reality that Jesus brought with him - at his birth, in his life, through his death, and because of his resurrection.  God is With Us.  He came our way.  He made a way.

So as we wind down our series and head toward Christmas Eve, look for the ways that God wants you to enjoy this gift.  Look for the ways that God wants you to share this gift with those who have yet to experience it.  Once you see them, do what Jesus did: enjoy and share in the blessing of God with us.

Comments

[Renee]

Once again our Father in heaven is pleased with his adopted son. Jesse, you are a blessing, and I,once again, am reminded of the special privilege it has always been to be the mother of three fantastic children, and the adopted daughter of a God who has been, is, and always will be with us. Thanks for using your gift.

[Betty Hollis]

Love this, Pastor Jesse! I am using it at our Small Group Christmas dinner tonight! Truth expressed sweetly! P.S. Love little Jude!

[Tony]

Well done Jesse...Thank you for that.

[Jesse Tink]

Thanks for the kind words, all.