Christmas Can't Be Cancelled

I’m not sure what exactly Mary had in mind for the birth of her firstborn, but I’m certain things didn’t go as planned. Instead of being delivered in the comfort of her home in Nazareth, her baby emerged in a Bethlehem stable. Instead of coming when she and Joseph were ready for him, he came in the fullness of God’s timing. Instead of being the product of her marriage to a Nazarene carpenter, the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Son of God.

And foremost on my mind today, when Christ was born, Mary and Joseph were on their own. Their families and neighbors were many miles away in Nazareth. No record exists of a midwife to aid Mary in her labor and delivery. When Christ was born, it was just Mary, Joseph, and, eventually, Jesus.

I was mindful of that this morning because of my family’s own experience this Christmas. Like most families, we have a host of Christmas traditions, and things really kick into high gear on December 24^th. We’d planned for breakfast at my parents, a church service at 5:00, and then more family time with Lindsey’s extended family afterwards. Christmas morning, her parents and grandparents would arrive at 8:30, we’d go to church afterwards, then head straight over to my parents’ for more celebration. Lots of presents, lots of chaos, lots of fun.

COVID had other plans. After a morning of coughing, fatigue, and generally feeling crummy, Lindsey tested positive. The next morning, I did too. For me and Lindsey—not to mention our kids, ages 3 and 6—plans would have to change. No Christmas Eve service. No fun at Grandmommy’s. No worship on Christmas morning, at least not in person. No photos with extended family to mark the holiday. Practically speaking, Christmas was cancelled. Like Mary and Joseph so long ago, we were on our own this year.

Except that, on that first Christmas, the Lord refused to let the holy family sink into the despair of loneliness. Before Mary and Joseph could blink, a group of shepherds showed up at the manger—they’d heard from a heavenly host that Christ was born and had come to worship him. Jesus’s birthday was humble, to be sure, but it was not a solitary affair.

And neither was our Christmas. Starting the night of Christmas Eve, I got text message after text message from my church family, telling me how much they’d missed us and how sorry they were we were sick. When I locked our front door that night, I found presents for our kids on the front porch. When the world was still waking up on Christmas morning, my kids were already FaceTiming with their grandparents. And as the day progressed, the messages continued to flood in, reminding us moment by moment that we are missed, that we are loved, that we are not on our own.

How appropriate for Christmas to serve as a reminder: no matter the circumstances, you are never truly alone. Even when your plans fail, the Lord’s endure. Hard as it is to imagine at times, in all things God works for the good of those who love him.

Christ is born. The Word became flesh. God bless us, everyone.