DTOTD – Farewell Message
” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…….And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-5, 14
In a season that is full of lights…lights on houses, lights on cars since it is darker sooner and longer, lights on shoes, lights on shows, lights on trees, lights in motion….there can be a whole lot of darkness. The Christmas season can bring so many memories, both good and bad and some just indifferent. Whether you love the holiday or despise the holiday or maybe you are just a grinch until you realize that you can’t steal Christmas away and just embrace it.
And even those who gather together to celebrate the birth of Jesus for Christmas, feel this weight that the season brings. So it seems kind of weird that this season, reading the end of Jesus’ life brings a whole lot of peace and life by breathing slowly.
Jesus came into the world in a time of dysfunction and confusion. The people of God, the Hebrews or Israelites haven’t heard from God in over 400 years at this point. Then all of a sudden a star shows up in the sky, a young couple travels back to a hometown that they didn’t know well and find themselves in a manger where the pigs and horses and cows and chickens and any other number of barn animals slept and got out of the cold. But it was in this moment in time when God decided to make a grand entrance and send his son Jesus to the earth.
Over the next 33ish years Jesus would live amongst the creation that he was a part of as we read in John 1. But in Jesus’ 33rd year of life, came the moment where it was time for him to go back to the Father in Heaven. He spends 3 years with a group of disciples that walked with him, breathed with him, learned from him, ate with him, watched him preform miracles and healings and listened to every teaching and got to ask questions to him directly. At the last moments of Jesus’ life, we see Jesus with his disciples but away to pray and he prays these words:
” I do not ask for these only, but also for those WHO WILL BELIEVE in me through their word….” John 17:20
Jesus prayed for you.
Jesus prayed for you in the darkest moments of his own life.
Jesus prayed for you before you were born, or your parents were born or your grandparents were born or even your great grandparents were born.
Jesus prayed for you before you knew him.
Jesus prayed for you knowing you would find dark times.
Jesus prayed for you knowing you would find light times.
Jesus prayed for you.
As we enter into another Christmas season, whether the season is filled with lights and traditions and places to go and people to celebrate and hug or whether the season brings pain and hurt and memories that are hard…..know this……
That Jesus, the light of life, prayed for you.
That Jesus, the wonderful counselor is here for you.
That Jesus, the prince of peace will give you peace in the chaos.
That Jesus, the Mighty King died on the cross for you even while we still sin.
That Jesus, the Son of God, prayed for you.
Let those words sink in as you walk or run or crawl through this season.