if you're weary

oh, christmas.  it always seems as though this time of year is saved for those who find themselves in perfect conditions.  for the ones with perfect kids who behave and obey and perfect families who do and say all of the right things and perfect jobs with a perfect blend of no stress and good money and it comes to those in good health and who have friends near and, well, christmas comes to the already happy.

but Jesus, oh Jesus, He bends low, he wraps flesh around him, and He whispers to us:

are you here?
in the chaotic place of raising kids and never feeling like you've got it all done, or all under control, especially at christmas when you're trying to do all of the baking and all of the crafting and all of this stuff to make christmas special.  it's all on the mom, folks. christmas is great for my kids, but so very hard for me.  christmas is anything but peaceful here.

are you here?
in the lonely place of broken relationships and broken dreams and scattered families. and the gnawing question keeps coming; where is the joy of christmas when you're lonely?

are you here?
in the dark places where sin and suffering and this dilapidated world is blaring loud in your ears and in your face and there is no light to be found and no hope to hold on to.

and then He proclaims it over us like a battle cry, "i came so that peace can be found right here in the chaos.  i came so that joy can be found right here in the loneliness. i came so that hope can be found right here in the darkness."

any where you are, there is christmas.

and i can't get that song out of my head.  the one my dad sang every christmas eve. it's not the happy world that rejoices. no. christmas came for the weary.

a thrill of hope.
the weary world rejoices.