Advent: Comfort

While reading the story of Christmas it’s difficult to find comfort.

The aching body of a pregnant woman.
The weight of judgement being passed by those around.
The sore feet of walking from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
The pain of childbirth.
The changing and changing and changing of plans and futures.
The first night with your child’s life spent in a barn.
The startling sight of angels breaking through the dark night.
The uncertainty of raising a child in an ever expanding world.
The threat of Herod the Great, king of Judea, who called for the execution of all male children two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem.

Comfort isn’t found in the early verses of the Christmas story, but it is what comes out of the story.

Through the discomfort comes the comfort of joy.
Through the uncomfortable darkness comes the welcoming comfort of light.
Through the uncertainty comes the comfort of Immanuel, God with us.

Jesus arrives.

Hope is here.

The wait is over and yet it is just beginning.

We now wait to see how He will bring comfort to the hurting, lonely, and lost.

And we know He does.

He does.

And so we continue to sing this Advent season,
“God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's pow'r
When we were gone astray
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy”

All of this ends with comfort and joy.