A Word of Hope
The Post-Christmas Blues
In my opinion, the most useless, discouraging week on the calendar is December 26-30. The lights go off and the decorations come down. The music and TV specials end and the logos of trees and Hanukkah stars turn to party hats and horns. I enjoy watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve, but let me be honest…as soon as I get into bed on Christmas night, I’d prefer to wake up to a bright April morning.
It seems, however, that I continually fail to learn the lessons of Christmas. One of those lessons is Immanuel, “God with us”. Numerous are the occasions in Scripture where the continuing presence of God is promised. Joshua 1:5 “I will not fail you or forsake you”; Hebrews 13:5 “God has said, ‘I will never, never fail you nor forsake you.’”; Matthew 28:20 “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
If I may wax philosophical for a moment, Immanuel is more than a theological abstract. As much as Immanuel is made real in Christ, it is an attitude and a lifestyle of the believer that reflects the truth that in the person of Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit, God is present with me today, tomorrow and every day. Immanuel is a promise that transcends the calendar. Immanuel is a present and ongoing reality in my life as a believer.
Am I going to suddenly love that last week of the year? Probably not, but I must remember that God is the God of each and every day and that those days are gifts. So in the final analysis, note to self, get over it and be glad for Immanuel!
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