Christmas 1921

A Christmas greeting sent to my grandfather Webb Hester's parents, Finlay Hester and Mabelle Lorena Webb Hester, circa 1921.  Mabelle was the daughter of Loren Webb and Francis Hannah Holmes Webb.  Our family has a copy of Loren's Civil War diary.

How is your sense of wonder?

There can’t be many alive who haven’t stood in awe and wonder at the sight of a newborn baby, so tiny and vulnerable, so dependent. Let’s pause for a moment from the rush of life and consider…

You, the strong and powerful that have fought hard battles… in wars, on the streets, in the public square. Perhaps your motivation comes from the desire to somehow make the world a better place for that little one.

You there, hiding in the shadows of shame and guilt. You can lift up your eyes and gaze into his face and feel the grace of this moment.

You there, who have hardened up against all the pain and loss.  Take a moment to look again, perhaps even stroke his soft hair, watch as he opens his eyes to catch the first glimpses of light and life.  Let the hardness begin to melt away.

You there, the weary and worn. You can find rest seeping into your bones as you cradle him in your arms, as you contemplate the wonder of the beating heart, the lungs taking in new air.

You there, the forgotten and lonely.  There’s a place for you here too. Let him grasp your finger with his tiny little fist and feel your profound connection in this grand scheme of humanity.

You there, the wise and learned. Consider for a moment all that is yet unknown about the millions of synapses occurring in that little brain, all that complexity and intricacy formed from the joining of two cells.

You there, whose life is dominated by chronic pain or illness. You’ve wondered what went wrong and why it hasn’t healed. I pray that a seed of hope is planted deep in your being, a hope that is able to generate even a little place of healing in your memories, your cells.  Then let it grow. Let it look up and away to redemption of suffering and on to another life where there will be no more sorrow or pain or tears.

Indeed for all of you, that’s my prayer this Christmas whatever your lot.

There’s so much about the Christmas story that seems so far beyond our wildest imaginations. And yet we’ve heard it so many times that we are lost to its wonder and mystery.

You there, the skeptic, full of doubt.  You the disillusioned, with all your unanswered questions.  Just consider for a moment, what it it’s all true?  What if that little babe in Bethlehem really was God made man? What if He really did choose to leave his throne, to become so vulnerable, not only in the manger but on the cross?  What if He really is orchestrating a grand plan that conquers everything that has kept us weighed down-- in defeat and despair, in loss and suffering, in fear of dying? 

Yes, it really is true!  Sometimes it’s hard to see it amidst all our pain and uncertainty, our broken hearts and broken dreams.  This Christmas I invite you to crack open the door, even just a bit and let the “wonders of His Love” bring you lasting peace and joy, not in circumstances or things, but in His Presence.

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’)."- Isaiah 7:14 NLT