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Blogs by Kathi Macias
A special Christmas devotional
12/13/2007 7:24:40 AM
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit (Ps. 34:18).
In less than two weeks, much of the world will celebrate Christmas, even if many of those celebrants don’t know the One whose advent we honor. Some don’t even pretend to know. For them it’s just another excuse to take a few days off work, get together with family and friends, and exchange gifts and eat too much. Come to think of it, most of us who do know the Guest of Honor at this great birthday celebration enjoy these same activities, even as we also set aside time to reflect and worship and celebrate the Messiah’s first coming.
But what about the many who don’t view Christmas as a joyful time? Counselors and pastors often find their work load multiplied at this time of year, as heartbroken people seek answers to their problems and healing for their pain. These same counselors and pastors also know that suicide rates escalate during this season, regardless of how many hours these good shepherds put in or how desperately they try to help.
Though it’s doubtful that Jesus was actually born on December 25, it is still the day we set aside to honor and celebrate that birth, a birth that proclaims “peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” And yet, as we observe the escalating darkness and evil in the world, it’s difficult to see that peace and goodwill. In fact, without the Holy Spirit inside us to open our spiritual eyes and enable us to see things from God’s perspective, it is impossible. Jesus said we MUST be born again. He stressed that unless we are born again, we can’t even see the Kingdom of God. But when the Spirit of God dwells within us, that otherwise invisible Kingdom takes precedence over the temporal kingdom of darkness that currently rules over the earth and all its inhabitants who have not yet received their “spiritual eyes.”
No wonder there are so many broken hearts—and no wonder it is now, in this season of supposed peace and joy and goodwill, that so many of those broken hearts give in to despair. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The Scriptures tell us that “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart.” He is there, just waiting for the brokenhearted to turn to Him with a “contrite,” or humble and repentant, spirit. For God’s Word doesn’t just speak of those whose hearts are broken over the loss of a loved one or some other emotional pain; it speaks of those whose hearts are broken over their sin and who know they need a Savior. When we come to that great realization that we are sinners without hope, we also come to the place where Jesus stands, arms outstretched, ready to receive us and give us the joy and peace we so long for and need.
May those of us who know that joy and peace, that goodwill to men, recommit ourselves to extending God’s love in a loveless world, to praying that spiritual eyes will be opened and broken hearts healed. Then we will truly have the merriest Christmas ever!
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