Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas.  I write this in the 3 am hour because I could not sleep.  I don't know why.  It's not childlike giddiness.  It's annoying, grown-up, I-had-to-pee-two-hours-ago-and-haven't-been-able-to-sleep-again-since-so-I-might-as-well-get-out-of-bed.  So here I am, contemplating Christmas and life.  Here's what I've come up with...

Christmas is a beautiful time of year, usually.  Homes are decorated inside and out.  A general good-naturedness kicks in a little more among friends and strangers.  People put forth effort in making or buying things for loved ones, at least thinking of and considering them.  (Yes, there's drama and commercialism.  But we'll save the complaints for another time.)  Yet I understand that there can be an ache, a pain that comes with the holiday.

For those who have no family, it can feel very isolating.  For those who's table is a little smaller because of a recent death of a loved one, the empty chair is the most glaringly obvious, or sometimes only, thing seen.  For a marriage that crumbled, especially with children involved, there is pain, divisiveness, bitterness, anger, and guilt.  For the couple struggling with infertility, be it primary or secondary, there can be a difficulty in missing the twinkle of a child's eye or delight in their laughter that might never be heard or seen.

All that to say, Life rarely turns out the way we expect.  That's one of my favorite things to say, especially to young people.  (Actually, I usually say, "Life rarely turns out the way you expect, but that's usually a good thing."  I'll do a whole separate post on this soon.)  It got me thinking more.  Jesus Christ, maker of Heaven and Earth, all-knowing Creator, experienced this, too.

Life did not turn out the way He designed.  He knew, yes.  But Life was not what it was intended, aka expected, to be.  Creation rebelled.  Man fell.  So He chose to come.  Did His earthly life play out the way He expected?  (Not knew, expected...)  Did He expect to have to be on the run as an infant in order to survive to adolescence?  Probably not.  Did He expect His parents or siblings to think He was a bit off His rocker?  Nope.  Did He want to have His best friends deny or betray Him?  I don't believe so.  Did He want to suffer the humiliation and physical trauma of crucifixion?  Undoubtedly no.  He even asked for the cup to pass if there was another way.  He knew.  But He still did not want.

Life didn't play out the way Jesus would have scripted if He had written scenes and words for actors to play and say.  But He lived it so perfectly, so humanly, and so Godly.  So, as I reflect on Emmanuel, God With Us, Creator living in His creation, I realize that even He, the Author, had an unexpected Life.

Whether your life is as you intended, as you planned, as you expected, or not, consider this.  God gave us every breath.  He counted them all.  He knew.  No matter how beautiful or painful your life is at this moment, your life, because of His, is precious.  Your life is as He knew it would be.  Your life is as He can handle.  Your life is a blessing.  Honor Him by living it well.  Because no matter what you thought it would be, it is as it is.  And it is a gift.