“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” (Luke 2:6-7)
It’s tempting to allow our current pandemic circumstances to lead us to self-pity and fear. Hardly any of us will experience the ideal Christmas we’ve become accustomed to or hoped for this year. Daily life has been interrupted and in many cases brought to a complete halt. What do we do when the literal rug of our schedules has been yanked out from under us? We hold on to what’s true, and trust God is unchanged, unmoved, and ever at work. Scripture abounds with story after story of God working miracles through dire straights and inconvenient circumstances.
Mary traveled to Bethlehem on a donkey. She was very pregnant at the time, and had no doubt endured much ridicule for her immaculate conception. Many of us have elaborate birth plans, and one can imagine a feeding trough was not in Mary’s. To cradle the Son of God must have ushered a peace into Mary’s heart worth every bit of painful obedience to her Lord, God. When the shepherds showed up, telling of the angel choir in the night sky and the star which led them to the Messiah, Scripture says, “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).
The Christmas story is beautiful as we embrace the highlights and miraculous moments. But what was it really like for the young couple who just welcomed the Savior of the world into their family?
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After Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph escaped Harod’s merciless killing of children in an attempt to prevent the King of Kings from taking the throne. To be human is to experience pain and suffering. Jesus knew this, and chose to walk among us, anyway. John wrote, “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world” (John 1:9). The Bible is full of faithful heroes who suffered gravely for the Lord. James admonished, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).
The pandemic is long-suffering. Many have lost loved ones, businesses, and irreplaceable time with friends and family. The heartache and the loss is hard. But we cannot let it extinguish the hope we have in Christ. The peace we have in Him remains, in simple and complicated times. Our joy in Jesus has the power to pull us through pandemic, political unrest, disease, heartache, loss, and everything else this world will undoubtedly throw at us. God is not surprised nor ill-prepared to protect, defend, provide, and sustain His children through it all. Though life many feel hard in this season, God’s truth trumps fickle human feelings every single time.
Our God is still God. The God of miracles still battles for us, an army of angels at His command. He is always working, sees us, hears every prayer, and knows each of us intimately. Through Christ, all things were made. He is not a far-off God, but close and empathetic to our struggle with what it is to be human.
The truly important things remain untouched by pandemic life. Jesus is still the Way, the Truth and the Life. We all come to God the Father through Christ. He came to earth as a babe, comes to us presently as we believe in His name and embrace His gift of salvation, and He will come again to right all wrongs in the world. In the meantime, He commands us not to worry. He is our capable caretaker. When we run to Him, we find comfort and encouragement. When we seek Him with all of our hearts, we will find Him.
Christmas reminds us of the wonder and awe of the scenery the night Christ was born. But it also uplifts our hearts to remember the wondrous glory God accomplishes through hard times and impossible circumstances. His love, so great He gave His one and only Son to save us, is everlasting. Through it all, God’s love conquers all.
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Father,
Abba, Yahweh. Messiah, Immanuel. Holy Spirit. One True and Triune God. Glory to You for this day, and Your purpose for it. This is the day You have made, we will rejoice and be glad in it! Father, You are all-knowing and everywhere. Jesus, You came to seek and save the lost. Holy Spirit, You comfort and strengthen us.
Thank You for forgiveness, salvation, grace, mercy, hope, love, and life. You are creative, compassionate and faithful. You are mighty to save and faithful to keep every single promise. You see the pain we are enduring, Lord. You know the aches in our hearts this Christmas. You hear the prayers to end the pandemic. Life is hard for so many. Suffering is great. Confusion abounds. Answers and information overload us. Reveal what is true, Father. Stop the spread of COVID-19. Speed the cure and its distribution. Strengthen and uphold us as we fight through sickness, loss, and heartache.
We pray collectively, knowing You hear us, Father. Bring an end to the pandemic, and restore peace in our everyday lives, communities, and countries. You are our Healer, Provider, Sustainer, and Peace. As we recall Mary’s experience leading up to and after Jesus’ birth, we are reminded of the way You work miracles in hard circumstances with regular people. Help us to understand what she must have felt, physically and mentally, as she journeyed on a donkey nine months pregnant and gave birth where animals were kept. Give us the gift of insight into the emotions she must have felt holding the infant Son of God, and then running in fear from genocide. Father, Mary’s experience is proof of Your miraculous power. You exceed what we deem possible, and Your power is made perfect in our human weakness. Fill our hearts and minds with theses truths as we navigate the pandemic this Christmas.
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Christmas is filled with hopeful stories and people helping each other. May Your hand be on every helper who is soldiering on during the pandemic. Those who are still packing shoe boxes with gifts for children, and organizing food drives for those who are hungry. Need has increased during these tough times. Inspire the hearts of helpers, Father, and send Your army of angels on our behalf to fight against the forces of evil lurking to capitalize off of the pandemic.
Bless and protect the frontline workers and medical personnel. Give them the wisdom and knowledge to care for those who are sick. Comfort and love those suffering from COVID-19 through their faithful service, and Your healing hand. God, heal those suffering in isolation and quarantine. The sickness of the pandemic is only part of the story. Mental health world-wide is declining, as we were not meant to live life alone. Please, Father God, for everyone who feels isolated and alone, come into their lives like a tidal wave and embrace them so they know unmistakably they are not alone. They are Yours. When we want to give up hope, send us a spark of light to remind us we were never promised this life would be easy. But You did promise we would never be alone. And God, You have never and will never break a promise. Crush the lie of loneliness now.
Father, the confusion and uncertainty of test numbers and efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 have caused division and conflict in our communities and around the world. We experience an information overload, through news reports and social media. Rush through this world with Your power, God, to reveal what is true and inspire Your children to work together in harmony and commonality. You love all of us equally. Help us to see each other through Your holy perspective. Inspire us to embrace and pray for those on the opposing side of our stance. Give us courage and bravery to speak up against injustice.
Christmas is a time of giving, singing joyfully, and extending gratitude for the blessings we’ve experienced. Though this year has been filled with challenges and cancelations, allow us to see the blessings You have littered our lives with regardless of the pandemic. Even in impossibly hard times, we can find blessings to count if we submit our woes to You. Thank You for the people in our lives, Father, whether we’ve been able to see them face to face or not this year. Thank You for the air in our lungs, life to live, and things to do for Your Kingdom.
Thank You for Christmas. If not for the chain of events Christ’s birth ignited, we would be bound to a hopeless consequence of sin—death. The life, death, and resurrection of Christ forever changed the earthly and eternal lives of all who come to believe in Him. Bless us with life within the love of Christ. Our lives have been interrupted and our calendars cancelled. We have lost loved ones and closed the doors to beloved businesses. The trauma of isolation is heavy and palpable. We look forward to the day Jesus returns to right all wrongs, and wipe every tear. But until then, we ask You to strengthen us. Carry us when our legs cannot bear the weight of our bodies. Untangle our minds from the despair and fear which haunt us. Encourage us daily, and show us where there is a need we can fill. Uplift our hearts when we miss those whom we usually celebrate Christmas with, and long for traditions that are cancelled this year.
This Christmas, may we find wonder and inspiration in the story of Christ’s birth on earth more than ever before. In uncertain times, our faith is not in a whimsical fairytale, but in the rock solid truth of a birth predicted by specific prophesy fulfilled on Christmas. You are a purposeful God, and Your plans for us are good. Help us to embrace Your Truth and soldier on through the pandemic. We pray for a swift end to it. Bless and heal our world of COVID-19, Father.
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
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