For many of us, the next couple of weeks are a time that we look forward to each year. Celebrating Christmas means lots of time spent together as a family, visiting loved ones and exchanging gifts, celebrating the birth of Christ during our church services, and spreading good cheer wherever we go. Between the gifts, the lights, the music, and the food, Christmas is certainly the “most wonderful time of the year”.
Except when it’s not.
Some of us, perhaps more of us then we think, aren’t especially looking forward to December 25th. It may be hard for us to admit, but there is a “check” in our holiday spirit, something that is happening in our lives that is preventing us from fully enjoying Christmas. Perhaps you are dealing with an illness in the family. Perhaps you are under some significant financial stress this year, and there won’t be as many gifts under the tree as there were in years past. Perhaps you are experiencing conflict in a relationship in your life (with your spouse, with your kids, with your parents, etc…). Perhaps your family is like mine and you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one this year, so there will be one less seat at the dinner table. Whatever the reason is, fully celebrating Christmas just seems impossible.
If that is the case for you this year, I believe that a story from the Gospel of Luke may be of comfort and encouragement to you. In Luke 1:26-38 the angel Gabriel visits Mary to announce to her that she has been chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. Luke tells us that Mary “was greatly troubled at his words.” I guess so! Can you imagine what was running through her mind at that moment? I can’t be sure of course, but I wonder if she thought about these things:
She was young and unprepared. It’s likely that she was barely past puberty!
Her marriage was immediately on shaky ground. Once Joseph found out about the pregnancy, he would have had three options: he could ask for a public divorce (and possibly request that Mary be stoned), he could divorce her privately, or he could stick it out with her (a very unlikely choice). In any event, this “Good News” had the potential to severely damage their relationship.
Her family relationships would be damaged. What would her parents say? What would his parents say? What about their brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles? Cousins? Neighbors? Friends?
Health Issues. Let’s face it, this type of pregnancy hasn’t been done before (or since, for that matter)!
She would be facing serious financial stress. Mary was looking at a life as either a single mom or a disgraced mother of a carpenter. Neither was a good option for being able to provide for a family.
When you look at that list, can you relate?
Gabriel must have sensed that Mary was troubled as well. He tells her just how this pregnancy is going to happen and reminds her “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.” Then Gabriel makes one of the greatest statements of God’s power found in Scripture – “For nothing is impossible with God.”
Think about that.
If you are hurting financially, and you’re not sure how the bills are going to get paid, let the birth of Jesus remind you that nothing is impossible with God.
If you are dealing with an illness, and the doctors have all said there is nothing that they can do, let the birth of Jesus remind you that nothing is impossible with God.
If you’ve lost a loved one, and you’re not sure how you can go on, and you don’t want to accept this “new normal”, let the birth of Jesus remind you that nothing is impossible with God.
If you have relationships that are hurting, and it seems like there is no hope that they can be restored, let the birth of Jesus remind you that nothing is impossible with God.
If you’ve never accepted Jesus as your savior because you feel like God can’t possibly use you or want you, that if He really knew you there is no way that He would want you, that it seems impossible that you could be a part of His family, let the birth of Jesus remind you that nothing is impossible with God.
Are “impossible” circumstances hindering your ability to celebrate Christmas this year? If so, I would encourage to you remember that we have a heavenly Father that specializes in the impossible! For a fun and meaningful family activity, read Luke 1:26-38 with your kids this week and talk about some of the “impossible” things that God has already done in your family’s lives.
Merry Christmas to each of you. Let’s celebrate the impossible this year!
