Slideshow image

“A Thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices…” - O Holy Night


What does rejoicing look like when you’re weary? I imagine it's a bit less rowdy -
a little more low-key. It might mean a few less decorations or food that’s easier to
prepare. It might mean something quieter and more reflective, something less
outwardly visible. Celebrating and rejoicing when we are weary may look a bit
different - and that’s ok! When it comes to Christmas, the important part is
actually the thrill, or stirring, of hope.


I attended a workshop with Bishop Mariann Budde this past week where she talked
about hope as an orientation of the heart. This intentional way of living in hope -
grounding ourselves in hope - is what gives us strength during difficult times. The
Good News, she said, is that hope is a gift from God - and God is a generous giver!
So, even when we feel the weight of disappointment and grief, God continues to
send the miraculous gift of hope for us to cling to.


Christmas is the celebration of God’s gift of Jesus - the one whose birth brought a
thrill of hope to a weary world. This miraculous gift was hope for a better
tomorrow. It did not eliminate all heartache or suffering, but it revealed God’s
unending and undying love for the world and God’s commitment to embody that
love in our lives. This hope that was born into the world on Christmas revealed
something worth rejoicing over, even when we are weary! It is a hope that we can
ground ourselves in and hold onto. Something to give us strength when we need it
most.


This Christmas, whether you are rejoicing loudly and boisterously or with a quiet
weariness, may your hearts be stirred with a thrill of hope - the hope of a better
tomorrow, the hope of God’s unending love, the hope that was sent to give us
strength, the hope embodied for us in Jesus.


Merry Christmas!

Pastor Heather Grell