And then it is upon us. And we are down to hours. And counting minutes. And we know there are certain things which just won’t get done by this all important day. At least for me there’s always a thing or two I thought I’d accomplish or finish before the 25th arrived. Always.
What is it this December that you didn’t complete in time for Christmas?
For me it was a cross stitch sampler for my new granddaughter’s nursery. I started it the week she was born in September and thought surely I’d have it to wrap up for her (and mostly for her mommy) by Christmas morning. I was certain a Christmas deadline would be no problem for me. And yet here we are on Christmas Eve and I’m not quite 50% done. This gift won’t be wrapped up and under the tree tomorrow morning.
There was a day when I’d have stayed up late and gotten up early for weeks at at time to finish. I don’t do that any more. I know it’s just counting stitches and pulling a threaded needle through little holes. It doesn’t require that much. It’s easy enough, but when life isn’t so easy, even counting and stitching can sometimes present a challenge.
But, the truth is, every year there’s something that doesn’t get checked off the list. For all of us, I bet. Maybe it was getting a family card sent or baked goods for the neighbors delivered. Maybe it was just getting some semblance of ribbons and bows on all the gifts. Maybe it was that one special gift you wanted to find, but kept coming up short.
Maybe it’s harder things—Fixing an estranged relationship or bringing back a prodigal child. Maybe it is restoring a restless marriage or surrendering an unhealthy addiction. Maybe it is coming home from the hospital or feeling well enough to get up off the sofa.
Because baked goods and bows don’t much matter when there are harder hurts and deeper discouragements.
We will all greet tomorrow morning with something that failed to get done or fixed or repaired or reclaimed. Some small, some big. But, dear ones, let that unfinished something serve as a reminder. Though we don’t need a calendar reminder to tell us tomorrow is Christmas, we all need to be reminded that Christmas is Christmas because a baby was born in Bethlehem so many years ago. God came down in infant flesh because there would always be something about us unfinished and undone. Always something incomplete.
That baby lying in a rough wooden manger would point to our God on the much rougher wooden cross come to save us from all of our own undoing.
Every thing we cannot finish, He tells us, “it is finished.”
Finished because of His perfect love.
Finished by the work of His blood.
Finished for us.
Every broken, bruised and battle-weary thing. Every best intention, hopeful plan and lofty goal.
Every attempt to fix.
Every desire to repair.
Every shred of pain.
Every moment of loneliness.
He came for it all.
If this Christmas you don’t get all the presents wrapped or the cross stitch sampler stitched or the cookies baked, I want you to give yourself grace and let it go. These are not the things which matter most.
But, dear ones, please don’t go into Christmas morning missing the beautifully finished gift of God’s grace and love. The best news: It requires no work on our part. Only turning our eyes to Jesus and bowing down before that simple manger in Bethlehem.
Merry Christmas!
[And—lol— for those of you still wondering what in the world even is a cross stitch sampler. Please let me explain: It is needle work which through little thread Xs, creates a picture and includes the baby’s name and date of birth. It is not a very popular craft these days--gone with stenciled walls and gingham country curtains-- but something I wanted to do for our Mimi Grace. It will be finished in time for her first birthday next September]!
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