A Melancholy Christmas

Matthew 2: 13-18

It's that time of the year again, the time to rejoice, celebrate and have a good time with loved ones, it's the Christmas season. Christmas is said to be the most wonderful time of the year given all the glad tidings it brings.

It's Christmas time!

It's easy to lose the meaning of Christmas amidst all the festivities as our attention is turned to the celebrations going on in just about every place. Yet Christmas isn't always a time of celebration for some people.

Christmas could be a time that reminds them of a loss they suffered, or that they don’t have family to celebrate with. For others they lie sick in bed and yet for some, they just can’t help but sink into a depression that they can’t quite explain. Somehow Christmas is not a jolly time anymore.

I really sympathize with such people as I can only imagine how lonely it feels seeing everyone else celebrate apart from you.

Well, for that reason I dedicate this blog to you.

The Christmas Horror Story

In as much as Christmas brings in a joyous aura, did you know that it wasn't quite the time of celebration when Jesus was born for King Herod ordered the killing of all baby boys below 2 years of age. Mary and Joseph had to seek for refuge in Egypt.

So much blood- shed over the Christmas period, the blood of innocent babies.

What a terrible time it was and a most heartbreaking time for many families as they lost their baby boys all because of an insecure king who felt threatened by the birth of a baby. No doubt Joseph and Mary were frightened for the time they were in Egypt despite the fact that they were out of Herod’s reach.

You could be thinking to yourself, “Sure I do sympathize with them but what comfort does that bring to me in my situation, how does it help me?”

You're Not Alone

The point in sharing this story with you is to let you know that you aren't alone. It's not an unusual thing to be in a melancholic state during Christmas.

As a matter of fact, Jesus was born into the world for people like you who are hurting. You see, He came for the sick, the wounded, the broken-hearted so that He can shower upon them the love of God and lift them up from their pain.

When Jesus began His ministry on earth, He declared His mission statement which was ‘to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to recover the sight of the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

In summary Jesus came for the weak, lowly, and beaten down so that He could give them hope, freedom, and the blessed assurance of God’s presence.

So whenever your heart is about to be enveloped with sadness during Christmas choose to remember that Christmas is a time that Jesus came to bring light, hope and joy to the hurting.

Jesus wants to help you in your low state and reveal to you His love.

Choose to focus on Jesus in this season and the sorrow you experience will slowly ebb away in the light of His glory.

Then Christmas won’t have to be a gloomy time anymore. Merry Christmas dearly beloved.