“He heals the brokenhearted…” Psalm 147:3 (NIV)
Christmas is such a time of celebration with friends and family. But for many it is a time of grief also. Many are sick, had a tragic accident, divorced, maybe separated from loved ones for whatever reason.
It has been 19 years since my first Christmas without my husband Gary. He passed away in September that year and our family started going through all the first you go through. That first Christmas sure was different. It made me stop and realize what Christmas really was. Christmas is not just lots of gifts and laughter. Christmas is a time for us to realize how much everyone around us means to each other. As we look around we may wonder if we will still be together next year. Christmas is a time to let the Lord heal the broken hearted. Christmas is a time for us to know our Lord will be right beside us, no matter what we may be going through. As the years go on it does seem a little easier but we never forget the fun times we all had as a family. We have made new traditions, the children have grown up and made there own traditions. We all have new lives. But we never forget the loved ones who the Lord took home before us.
I can still smell the cookies my Mom used to bake. I can still see my Dad freezing as he hung lights for us. I see my husband Gary as he put together the toys for the children and we laughed and loved the time we had.
As I look back I have been so blessed to have so many wonderful times with family and friends. Let us remember as we move a head this year to December 25th to share Christ’s comfort with others. I’ve experienced God’s promise to heal my broken heart, as today’s key verse reminds us. Much of my healing has come from the love He’s sent through other people. Because of this, I keep my eyes open for those who might be grieving or sad at the holidays. I’ve found that comforting others brings me comfort. It also brings me many blessings.
This year as I anticipate the Christmas season, I’ll experience a familiar combination of emotions. Sadness will tug at my heart as I miss celebrating this special time with those who may have gone before us, but I’m excited to celebrate what only Christ can do — heal our broken heart. The comfort He brings is one of the many reasons to celebrate His birth this Christmas season.
Since that Christmas all those years ago the Lord has brought me a new life with a wonderful husband. It has not been without trials, but God has been there throughout it all. When we finally come to the end when the Lord calls us home let us reflect on how we shared our time and our Lord with our family and friends. Not only at Christmas, but throughout the year.
This year as I anticipate the Christmas season, I’ll experience a familiar combination of emotions. Sadness will tug at my heart as I miss celebrating this special time with my husband and parents and other loved one, but I’m excited to celebrate what only Christ can do — Heal our broken heart. The comfort He brings is one of the many reasons to celebrate His birth this Christmas season.
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