Over the weekend, we watched a family movie called "Christmas on Division Street." It's a 1991 film staring Fred Savage (The Wonder Years). We anticipated this to be a fun, warm-fuzzy family movie that got us into the Christmas spirit. We had never seen the movie, but it sounded good on paper. However, it was not a warm-fuzz,y feel-good family movie. Instead it was a hard, tear-jerker that depicted how a young boy deals with serious loss during the holiday season, but also how good came out of tragedy and tears.
The whole family was deeply moved and many tears were shed as a result of the movie. It was not what we were expecting. We expected a Christmas movie to make us feel good, happy, comfy and cozy. But, is this was I expect around Christmas - absolute joyfulness? Absolute joyfulness that is absent of awfulness is not joy, it's denial. I must not forget that I can be joyful in Christ's birth because I have been awful since my own birth and Christ came to give me a new birth. Thus in order to more fully appreciate the joyfulness of Christmas mustn't I also take time to appreciate the awfulness of sin in the world which Christ came to address?
As I witnessed this movie's affect upon my family's emotions, I wanted to rescue them and reassure them that everything was okay, because I wanted them to be happy, especially during the Christmas season. But, then I remembered Jesus' words, "blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." And so I said to myself "Cry on kids! Cry on!" Maybe we should all "Cry on," on Christmas. For it's only when we feel the sting of sin and its horrible affects on a hurting world, that we will be able to experience the deeper comfort and joy of Christ during Christmas. Maybe when we cry a little over the awful affects of sin can be truly joyful that Christ came. I believe Christ still cries on Christmas, for when He was on earth he was a "man of sorrows" and the Bible tells us he cares about us, loves us and understands how we feel.
May I take the beam of denial out of my eye so that I may cry on this Christmas and thereby feel the deep comfort of Christ.
Thoughts? Beams?
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Wow- I will have to check out this movie- it sounds great! I need to daily remind myself God chose me while I was still a sinner. I pray that God would open my eyes to the lost souls around me. Father, help me to live out Psalm 51:17
ReplyDeleteMy sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.
What we have to remember is Jesus came to ransom us from sin, he gave everything to us. What can we give to him? I get so wrapped up in the getting I forgot about the giving.
ReplyDeleteAs I read you blog I thought how could I appreciate the awfulness of my sin. Then as I reflected on this statement I realized that if it were not for the awefullness of my sin I would never have come to know God as Christ, I would not have seen my need for Him. Could this be part of what Paul meant when he said he would gladly rejoice in his sufferings so that the power of God might be evident in his life? That would be my prayer taht God use my shame for His glory.
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