O come, O come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Christmas is known as a holiday of joy, beauty, and lights, but we usually forget that its founding was full of hardship, dirt, and poverty. The first Christmas was a time of “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). It also included being significantly inconvenienced by authorities, being far from home and family, and being excluded (Luke 2:1, 6, 7). Just like the first Christmas, we find that Christmas 2024 can be a time of tension, holding both joy and hardship, light and darkness, hope and grief.
Like captive Israel some of us mourn during this season, burdened by loneliness and a sense of not fitting the jolly mood. Some of us mourn hopes that we have watched wither and die, or mourn relationships that are like gaping wounds in our souls that refuse to heal. Christians are not required to ignore hardship or pretend that our hearts do not hurt. However, on this dark, winter day immediately after the solstice, let us remember that even though the darkness may be deep and long, there is also hope.
During the lament class this fall, using pastor Mark Vroegop’s book Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, we studied Lamentations. Jeremiah held the tension of both deep grief over Judah’s devastation and hope in the steadfast character of God. Following his example, here are four truths from Lamentations 3 to hold during this holiday season:
- God’s mercy never ends.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end” (v. 22) - Waiting is not wasted.
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” (v. 25)
- The story is not finished yet.
“For the Lord will not cast off forever” (v. 31)
- God is good and His heart is kind.
“For he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men” (v. 33)
Early Christians believed that the prickly leaves of holly branches symbolized Jesus’ crown of thorns and their red berries represented Christ’s blood shed to save mankind.