Christmas Comes at Just the Right Time

In C.S. Lewis beloved book, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Lucy discovers a magical world after hiding in a wardrobe. This world is filled with snow, which she finds mysterious and wonderful, until she sees the puzzling weariness it has brought upon the inhabitants of the land. For Lucy, the winter wonderland seems at odds with the weary worry it has produced. That is, until she finds that it is perpetually winter and never Christmas. Without Christmas winter loses its good cheer, and the prospect of winter never ending is dreary and hopeless.

We need Christmas in the middle of winter. We need that reminder of God’s promise of salvation in the midst of the otherwise perpetual winter of the evils of this world. We need a reason to have hope that winter will one day come to an end and a glorious Spring, filled with newness of life, will follow. That’s where we’re headed, by the way. Coming is a new heavens and a new earth. Coming is a kingdom in which will be no more pain. Coming is a kingdom in which we get to eat from the tree of life and bask in the brightness of the glory of the Lord. It often seems so far away. As we feel the weight of worry and strife that seems to be growing by the day in the world around us it seems as though winter is never ending.

At just the right time, Christmas comes and revives our hope, reminding us like a ray of sunshine breaking through a stormy sky that there is light and high beauty forever beyond the reach of the winter’s shadow. So let us not grow weary in doing good. Christmas is coming. Let us instead smile, give thanks, and press on to love each other well.