The Unwanted Christmas Gift by LaToya M. Hosey

So the lyrics go something like this, “Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer, fun for all that children call their favorite time of the year.” 

Oh how I love the holidays, mainly Christmas. There seems to be so much joy in the air. Malls and shopping centers are filled with people searching high and low to find that special Christmas gift for family and friends. Christmas scenes are on display almost everywhere we go. Teachers are busy preparing Christmas programs for students to present to families. Even fellow co-workers and employers are in the Christmas mood, presenting their employees with bonuses, and the famous, Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. And we must not forget about those memorable Christmas movies that we’ve seen a thousand times before, but have to watch again simply because it’s all a part of Christmas. 

But what happens in the midst of our to-do list leading to Christmas day, when we get that dreaded unwanted Christmas gift? I’m not speaking of the ugly sweaters, socks, and ties. I’m speaking of the unexpected phone call that we receive right before Christmas warning us that a loved one may not live to see Christmas. Or the phone call that informs us of an untimely death of a loved one? 

Oh how the shock of the news can take our breath away. “But it’s Christmas time, I was expecting to see them, how will we get through Christmas without them,” are all questions that we may ask ourselves. And all of a sudden, just like that, our regularly scheduled Christmas festivities have been interrupted by this disturbing news. We’re suddenly left with the Christmas gift that we didn’t ask for. 

I hear you say, “Why do you refer to this as a gift?”, or “What do I do next?” It’s a gift because we will never forget it. We will take this unwanted gift and embrace our loved ones that are still here all the more. This unwanted gift will help us to love a little harder, and more importantly it will direct us back to the true meaning of Christmas……Jesus. 

We will turn to Him because His joy will be our strength during this diffcult time. It’s important that we don’t get so caught up in our Christmas regimen that we spend less time with Jesus. After all isn’t He the real reason for the season? 

While we are tending to the things that we think are important please remember that we are important to Jesus all the time. He knows what’s going to happen before it happens. When we receive unexpected news, He loves us more and more to help us make it through. Things happen to remind us that He has the final say, and time is but of the essence to Him. We must never make Him the last option especially during a season that’s supposed to be solely about Him. 

Romans 8:28 reads, And we know that all things work together for good of them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (KJV). While death is the unwanted Christmas gift, it is what Jesus did for us so that we can have our sins forgiven. We accept what has happened, express our emotions, grieve, yet live. Be the light for our families that are living so that they too can see God when we take our final breath. 

So this year for Christmas smile, and thank God for the Christmas gift that we didn’t ask. “Why?” Well I’ll simply leave you with this: 

James 1:2-4: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience  have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (NKJV) Celebrate Jesus always!