Skip to main content

White Christmas

photo by: freestocks

Ah, the Christmas season is upon us. The time of year where people are a little bit kinder, more compassionate, and even generosity peeks out from the pocket we have shoved it all year when our own needs, wants, and aspirations take priority. Alas, the holidays can also be bleak. Amidst all the festivities and throngs of people milling about the malls, grocery stores, parades, office parties, and grand church productions, loneliness creeps in and overtakes in a sneak attack. An indescribable emptiness brings consuming, tormenting thoughts that seep every ounce of joy from those things that usually bring smiles and makes everyday tasks feel insurmountable. Christmas movies have become more about falling in love and dreams coming true which only adds to the disappointment realized on January 1 when nothing magical took place for you. 

This morning, thoughts collided forming something so beautiful in my mind as I heard the words, "white Christmas." Shift your focus from blankets of snow, warm fires, fuzzy socks, and hot chocolate. Imagine a gift not wrapped in bows, but in swaddling clothes. A love that is bigger than the little package born in a cold stable amongst filthy livestock. A baby sent to resurrect us from the grave. Visualize the tomb of disappointments, rejections, and loss opening with the stone being rolled away. 

I challenge you to throw off the shame of barrenness, the shadow of lack, and the cloak of loneliness. Stand with arms opened wide, defenses down, and with a heart of humility turned toward heaven allow yourself to be washed clean, white as snow with the understanding that cleansing is not just from sin. A crimson flow removing the stench of those things that would mar you, flushing out the infection of past hurts, rejections, insecurities, or anything that handicaps you is as freeing as the redemption of sins. Deep wounds cleansed so healing takes place. Yes, sometimes the cleansing process stings. Sometimes, it is just painful. In the natural, the debridement of a wound is painful. So, it is with the debridement of a mindset or the debridement of a heart, but the results of total healing are far greater than the pain of the process.

Proverbs 31:21 states, "when it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet." Let us go a little deeper than the face value of this scripture. Envision a moment of desiring rather than fearing purification because you are clothed in the blood shed for you. Your lacerations covered, healed because of wounds inflicted on the Savior of the World.  

Psalm 34:18 reminds us, "He is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." For that, we should be ever grateful. Now, put on a garment of praise! Let this Christmas be one of redemption, resurrection, restoration, and the beginning of a beautiful romance with the only true lover of your soul. There is nothing more romantic than a man born to die for you. There is no greater love story. A life laid down to give me mine. 

Luke 2:10-11 "...Fear not: for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas Without Santa?

As a Christian, yes, yes, yes, a thousand times, yes! Don't get me wrong. It's not a "bah humbug" kind of thing. I love, love, love Christmas! It truly does seem to be the most wonderful time of the year!  What is not wonderful, however, is the slow fade over the years from a celebration of the life of Christ to the greedy commercialism, secular "holiday" traditions that completely omit even the name of Jesus. We have found ourselves in a time where nativity scenes are prohibited and replaced with the jolly, fat guy and his little minions. Where have we gone wrong? We Christians claim to live lives completely dedicated to Christ, 100% sold out to His will and His plan, yet at the time of the celebration of His birth, we are so preoccupied with everything else that we often don't even take the time to read and pray--we are just too busy. Rather than being a light, an example of the life we are supposedly celebrating, we are too busy to help others, hoa
4 comments
Read more

Trees Are Trees

Source Unknown "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then, God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." Genesis 1:1-3 Creation was a six-day process that began and ended with the spoken word of God. He created the heavens and the earth, dry land and the seas, vegetation, seed-bearing plants, and trees on fruit-bearing land. He created seasons, living creatures, and man. Our Creator then rested on the seventh day, the day of fulfillment, the completion of His perfect plan. In one of my favorite passages in Genesis, the scripture depicts the scene of the "Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." Can you picture it? The Creator walking through His very own creation in the early evening enjoying the brilliant, colorful flowers with their fragrance lingering in the air. The reg
3 comments
Read more

People Pleaser

Hello, my name is Brittni and I am a people pleaser.  They say the first step is admitting you have a problem, right? Today, I realized this has been a huge stumbling block for me.  Many of the situations I have found myself in can be attributed to doing something I didn't really want to do because I thought someone else wanted me to or better yet, needed me to do.  I have compromised my own beliefs, taken responsibility for things that were not my fault, even made untrue assessments about myself all for the pleasing of someone else.  I called it being agreeable, keeping the peace.  Only, I didn't have peace.  How dumb is that? Joyce Meyer writes, "IT ALL COMES DOWN TO ONE THING…Motives… Why are we doing (or not doing) something? Are we being motivated by fear, personal gain or a sense of obligation? Are we being motivated by a desire to be in control, accepted or seen?  These are all the wrong reasons for doing something. Our motive for doing anything should always b
4 comments
Read more