Christmas is .....Hope

This devotion was first published December 10, 2008, but has so much relevance to a hurting world today with a struggling economy and so many people who have lost their jobs. Be blessed!

How do you feel this Christmas?

Joyful?

Peaceful?

Happy?

or...

Sad....

Frustrated...

Worried...

The past two weeks I have talked to so many heartbroken people.

Mary......whose extended family lost eight homes during the flood of 2008. As I held her, she cried on my shoulder, telling me how difficult this Christmas is. Not only is she frustrated that so much of her family is displaced, but also that her mother has Alzheimer's and doesn't recognize her anymore.

Jamie.... a sweet Sister in Christ, a member of my small group bible study. She is in her early thirties with adorable 2 year old triplets. Jamie has bravely been fighting cancer for the past year and a half. It has spread to her liver. As I write this now, I am expecting news today or tomorrow that she has gone Home to be with Jesus. Talking to her mother yesterday, asking her what our group can do to help, she sighed, saying, "I don't know. I have never been through this before."

Linda...... called telling me that her father just passed away. He, too, lost a battle with cancer. My sweet sister- in- law, grieving the loss of her dad, was also worried because she has a ruptured disc in her back, with shooting pain down her leg. She doesn't know if she will be able to fly to her dad's state for services.

I am sure you have your own Mary, Jamie and Linda in your life.

As I prayed over these sweet souls, I became so aware of the hurting hearts all around me. I have heard the statistics of Christmas suicides. I wondered why this time of year can be so depressing for many.

When a hurting heart watches holiday TV programs and commercials, the families are smiling around a dinner table...everyone happy. She can think she is the only one who feels alone....the only one who feels sad...who feels...let down about Christmas.....who wonders, "Is this all there is?" She shops (but cannot afford to), trying to buy all of the items that are promised to bring happiness.

Have we forgotten what Christmas is about?

Christmas is HOPE because Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to bring hope. Immanuel, God is With Us. He knows our hearts. He knows our worries. He knows our loneliness. He wants to comfort, heal, and bring peace.

Jesus is the Light of the World. Jesus brings Light to this dark world. And, He wants us, as Christ followers, to share this Light with the world. He wants us to share this Hope to the hurting....to the confused....to the lonely.

Jesus never promised that we would live a pain free life here on earth. In fact, He tells us the opposite. "In this life, you will have trouble..." But, Jesus also gives hope because He continues by saying, "But take heart, I have overcome the world."

This world is not our home. We have an incredible, glorious inheritance that can never perish, a living hope, joy unspeakable, everlasting life when we return Home to live forever with our Savior. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him". We can't even imagine what God has stored up for us.

And, while we live our lives here on earth, we are promised LIFE and life to the full. We are promised that He is walking with us, bringing us comfort, peace, and joy....true joy that is not dependent on circumstances, but comes from the hope we have in Him.

This Christmas, be a Light. This Christmas, extend your hand of hope to a hurting heart. This Christmas, like Mary, sit at the feet of Jesus, basking in His love, peace, and hope.

Have you seen the homeless?

Have you seen the homeless?

No, I mean SEEN them?

Have you looked into their eyes?

Smiled?

Said "hello"?

Or....

do you look the other way?

Pretend not to see them?

Busy yourself in a conversation?

My husband and I just returned from a trip to San Diego. We had a wonderful time, just the two of us. I had been looking forward to spending some time alone while he attended work meetings. So…..on the first morning of our trip, I went out for a run and to explore the downtown a bit. What I saw surprised and appalled me.

People waking up and beginning their day…..

from a park bench…..

from a makeshift cardboard “tent”….

Now, I am not a stranger to homeless people. We frequently visit Chicago and are familiar with “street people.” But, somehow, seeing them during this trip affected me like never before. Maybe it was the sheer quantity I saw. There were both men and women. I saw every race- white, black, and Asian among the hurting. I saw both young and old. The image of a tall, beautiful woman looking at her reflection in a glass building as she cleaned her face with her hands and saliva will be etched in my mind forever. What struck me, and broke my heart was that all of the people carried something. Some, like the man above, carried grocery bags full of their belongings. Others had black garbage bags stuffed with their life’s possessions. And, some pushed around carts or luggage full of their “stuff.”

I couldn’t even fathom being able to fit all of my belongings- my life- into a cart that I pushed around all day. What unnerved me was witnessing people, human beings rummage through garbage cans looking for food…..

My heart broke for the people I saw that morning. But, the tipping point came when I stopped at Starbuck’s for a tea before heading back to the hotel. As I waited in line, holding back tears and silently praying, a very thin man, about my age, ran in the store, pulled out a discarded half eaten muffin out of the garbage, ran out of the store and ate it. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The first thing I did was buy the man a breakfast sandwich and gave it to him.

When I got back to my room, I wept and prayed. I knew I had to do more than just buy someone a sandwich.

I have been reading a life-changing book, Not a Fan. It is about being a FOLLOWER of Jesus, not just a “FAN”- living out a life of faith instead of just talking about it. The book challenges us, as Believers to die to self and live for Christ, following Him wherever He would take us. As I cried out to God that morning, I told Him I wanted to LIVE what I was reading- I wanted it to make a difference in my life! I couldn’t go have a manicure or lie by the pool- I had to live out my faith and DO SOMETHING!

As I prayed in the shower, a thought came to me to spend my day with the homeless.

So, I went to Subway and bought a small stack of gift cards. After praying about what to write in each one, I filled them with messages of hope and love, telling the person reading how much God loves them and how precious they are. On some, I felt led to tell them that God knows their name.

I went back to Starbuck’s, found a table outside and prayed that God would bring people to me and that He would give me strength to do this thing that was REALLY out of my comfort zone. Fear gripped me. What if someone would get violent or yell at me? What if someone started calling me a hypocrite or self-righteous or something? What if I was embarrassed? I couldn’t believe my fears! Here were people rooting through garbage and I WAS WORRIED ABOUT BEING EMBARRASSED????????

I was surprised at how nervous I was. My heart raced. My hands were shaking. I knew I needed to just DO IT. So, when a man approached a garbage can to go through it, I approached him and gave him the card, telling him what it was. He looked shocked, but took it. The next man who approached the garbage had a different reaction, though. He refused to take it. His sad eyes broke my heart as he said, “I can’t go in to Subway like this. Look at me.” And he walked away.

Many discouraging thoughts ran through my mind and most encouraged me to quit.

“What are you doing?”

“You are insulting them.”

“You can’t make a difference.”

But, I continued and my stack got smaller. I finished with the last group of four people all sitting against a building together. When I gave them the last of my cards, they were joyful and kept saying “God bless you.” Here is one of the men.

I am ashamed to say I have forgotten this man’s name. I asked him his name and it was like I gave him a million dollars just asking that. He got tears in his eyes when he told me it.

I may have forgotten, but God knows his name.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows…” James 1:27

“Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the cords of unjustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not turn away from your own flesh and blood?” Isaiah 58:6-7

Lord, may I die daily to myself and follow You wherever You would lead. May I see people the way You see people. Break my heart with what breaks Your heart. Give me strength and courage to do the things that are uncomfortable. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Fasting” with you,

Tracy