The Meaning of Christmas, Through the Book of Lamentations and My Life's Story
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| Jeremiah, the "Weeping Prophet", as depicted by Michelangelo |
Ascribed by the prophet Jeremiah, Lamentations captures the author's grief over the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonian Empire. Yet, Jeremiah proves that even in the midst of grief, real help is present. While asking for help from God, Jeremiah shares three important lessons that anyone, regardless of religious background, can learn from during the Christmas season. I will expand on Jeremiah's lessons through my own life experiences.
Lesson I: Nothing Lasts Forever, and The World is a Broken, Difficult Place
How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How a widow is she, who was once great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has become a slave. -Lamentations 1:1 (NIV)
For many Christmas is not a time of joy, but a reminder of what has been lost. Israel and Jeremiah were in a similar position of loss. Once the center of a powerful nation ranging from the Sinai Peninsula to modern day Iraq, Jerusalem was reduced to rubble, a memory of a once great ancient Israel.
Before my teenage years, Christmas was a wonderful time of gifts and family. My greatest disappointment as a child was receiving the wrong version of a Star Wars electronic lightsaber that I had asked for (I wanted Obi-Wan's lightsaber, not Qui-Gon's, Dad!). Like Israel, I did not recognize the gifts from my provider. Life changed as a teenager. Devastated by the separation of my parents, Christmas gifts became irrelevant. I felt like a king reduced to a slave to grief in the world around me. Even as a Christian, Christmas was a reminder of the fall of my personal Jerusalem.
Lesson II: There is Salvation from Depression and Anxiety
Like ancient Israel, there came a time when my losses became overwhelming. During the Christmas season of 2015, my mother's side of the family suffered the loss of my grandmother, Ann. My grandmother had been diagnosed with dementia and potentially Alzheimer's. She had always loved me, but by the end of her life, my grandmother's dementia had progressed to the point where she could not remember her own grandson. The last year of her life, I did not visit my Grandmother once. After her passing, I deeply regretted the lack of time I had spent with my grandmother. I became disenchanted with the lack of sincerity I had invested in many of my relationships. Like Jeremiah, I was consumed by depression and anxiety. Fortunately, God's compassions never fail. Christmas 2016 demonstrated God's faithfulness and proved to be my "new morning".
Lesson III: Ask Questions of God and Life
As I began a gradual recovery from clinical depression and anxiety, I asked God plenty of questions. God answered all of my questions, just not in the way I thought my questions would be answered. In early December 2016, on my way home from seeing the movie Sully and a nice dinner with my grandparents, I was involved in a horrendous car accident that resulted from black ice. I was fully alert and driving the speed limit (50 mph) before the accident, but the black ice proved itself to be too much of a hazard. Fortunately no else involved in the accident suffered serious injuries. I suffered a severe concussion with some damage to the front right temporal lobe of my brain, which resulted in working short term memory loss. I asked God how he could allow such a terrible accident to happen to me.
Despite the devastating short term result of the accident, I can look back and rejoice over how God protected me. Based on the severity of the car accident, I should have been killed. I survived, and God led me through a recovery in which I emerged a better, more complete person. Leading into Christmas 2017, I had not only made massive progress in my recovery, but I had started my own English Second Language instruction business, enrolled in classes for a Masters Degree in Licensed Clinical Social Work, been actively involved with assisting residents in a memory care facility, and begun writing a book about familial perspectives on memory loss. Despite going through difficult times, God has proven to me that he reigns forever, is faithful, and will never forsake me.
Putting All the Lessons Together: Especially in the midst of hardship, God Never Forsakes His Promises
I'll conclude with a verse and invitation that best illustrates the true meaning of Christmas:
I wish to everyone, regardless of beliefs, where they are at in their faith journey, or what they are going through, a Merry Christmas. I can't offer anything material to everyone this Christmas season, but I can share this simple and all important truth we should never forget:
Before my teenage years, Christmas was a wonderful time of gifts and family. My greatest disappointment as a child was receiving the wrong version of a Star Wars electronic lightsaber that I had asked for (I wanted Obi-Wan's lightsaber, not Qui-Gon's, Dad!). Like Israel, I did not recognize the gifts from my provider. Life changed as a teenager. Devastated by the separation of my parents, Christmas gifts became irrelevant. I felt like a king reduced to a slave to grief in the world around me. Even as a Christian, Christmas was a reminder of the fall of my personal Jerusalem.
Lesson II: There is Salvation from Depression and Anxiety
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness -Lamentations 3:22-23Difficult times in life are inevitable, regardless of an individual's religious background. Through compassion in the midst life's most difficult times, God proves his existence and faithfulness.
Like ancient Israel, there came a time when my losses became overwhelming. During the Christmas season of 2015, my mother's side of the family suffered the loss of my grandmother, Ann. My grandmother had been diagnosed with dementia and potentially Alzheimer's. She had always loved me, but by the end of her life, my grandmother's dementia had progressed to the point where she could not remember her own grandson. The last year of her life, I did not visit my Grandmother once. After her passing, I deeply regretted the lack of time I had spent with my grandmother. I became disenchanted with the lack of sincerity I had invested in many of my relationships. Like Jeremiah, I was consumed by depression and anxiety. Fortunately, God's compassions never fail. Christmas 2016 demonstrated God's faithfulness and proved to be my "new morning".
Lesson III: Ask Questions of God and Life
You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long? Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure. -Lamentations 5:19-22It is alright to pose questions to God and to ask for His continued faithfulness.
As I began a gradual recovery from clinical depression and anxiety, I asked God plenty of questions. God answered all of my questions, just not in the way I thought my questions would be answered. In early December 2016, on my way home from seeing the movie Sully and a nice dinner with my grandparents, I was involved in a horrendous car accident that resulted from black ice. I was fully alert and driving the speed limit (50 mph) before the accident, but the black ice proved itself to be too much of a hazard. Fortunately no else involved in the accident suffered serious injuries. I suffered a severe concussion with some damage to the front right temporal lobe of my brain, which resulted in working short term memory loss. I asked God how he could allow such a terrible accident to happen to me.
Despite the devastating short term result of the accident, I can look back and rejoice over how God protected me. Based on the severity of the car accident, I should have been killed. I survived, and God led me through a recovery in which I emerged a better, more complete person. Leading into Christmas 2017, I had not only made massive progress in my recovery, but I had started my own English Second Language instruction business, enrolled in classes for a Masters Degree in Licensed Clinical Social Work, been actively involved with assisting residents in a memory care facility, and begun writing a book about familial perspectives on memory loss. Despite going through difficult times, God has proven to me that he reigns forever, is faithful, and will never forsake me.
Putting All the Lessons Together: Especially in the midst of hardship, God Never Forsakes His Promises
He (God) has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors. -Luke 1:54-55, Mary concerning the conception and soon to be birth of her son, JesusFollowing God does not mean that we won't suffer any hardship. Rather, in the midst of hardship, God will show us new ways to thrive that we could have never imagined on our own.
I'll conclude with a verse and invitation that best illustrates the true meaning of Christmas:
For God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16Take time this Christmas to discuss with family, friends, or a trusted local church about the meaning of Christmas. I don't expect readers to follow what I believe, but I hope readers seek out the validity and truth of anything I write about.
I wish to everyone, regardless of beliefs, where they are at in their faith journey, or what they are going through, a Merry Christmas. I can't offer anything material to everyone this Christmas season, but I can share this simple and all important truth we should never forget:
You are blessed to be a blessing.
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