Christmas
Redeemed
Phone calls in the middle of the night
seldom bring any good news. So, when the clanging of the phone awakened our
family in the wee hours of a Monday morning in early December 1969, we knew something
was terribly wrong. My maternal grandmother frantically delivered the news that
Grandpa was seriously ill and needed to be transported to the hospital. His
illness turned out to be a particularly virulent form of diverticulitis
requiring major surgery and an exceedingly long hospital stay. A shadow was
cast over the coming Christmas celebration, but He who came to redeem our souls
works in our lives even to redeem sad situations.
Grandpa’s surgery had been successful,
and a temporary colostomy was in place, but he still faced a lengthy recovery. After
spending long days at the hospital, Grandma usually came home with us rather
than returning to her rambling house in downtown Winston-Salem. It seemed to
ease the emptiness and fear for everyone. Staying with us especially helped her
pass those long nights of uncertainty; even though we knew the One who had sent
His Son to redeem us from sin could work in all things-even Grandpa’s life-threatening
illness.
Christmas evening was no exception;
however, on this particular night, we had a few extra people joining us. My
aunt, uncle and two cousins had stopped by the house since they had been
visiting Grandpa in the hospital. Despite the circumstances, my parents
attempted to create a festive mood conducive to fellowship and relaxation, just
as they had they had earlier in the day for our immediate family. Dad had a roaring
fire going in the fireplace; the Christmas tree was lit. We had enjoyed a light
snack, featuring Mom’s spiced tea. Yet, a spirit of weariness hung over the
gathering.
In
attempt to bring cheer to the seemingly sad and obviously weary adults, we
three cousins got together with an impromptu re-enacting of the Christmas story.
Our indulgent parents and grandmother, encouraging our creativity, graciously
endured our play as we acted out each scene and sang the usual Christmas carols,
often a little off-key, but with great fervor. Unfortunately the entire play
unraveled when the director attempted to lead the Magi to the manger rather
than to the family dwelling place. At that point one of the cousins stopped the
play dead in its tracks with the words, “Stop, they didn’t go the manger.”
Moments later we erupted into in a
family discussion concerning the Christmas story that resulted in my
seventy-year-old grandmother having to be convinced concerning Biblical
accuracy. At that point neither the cast nor the audience could contain their
mirth. Not only had three children acted in innocent confusion trying to bring
joy to their parents, but a seventy-year-old woman learned truth for the first time
in her life even though she had at first exclaimed, “Aw, I don’t believe
it! They ‘come’ when He was in the
manger.”
God was good; we were joyful.
Grandpa was on the road to recovery, albeit a slow recovery. It had been
good Christmas after all.
I believe it shows that truly as the
lyrics of the song reveal, “Nothing is wasted in the hands of our Redeemer:”[1] no
laughter no tears and certainly no pain.
In His hands they are tools for His glory and the healing of the hearts
of His children.
Bibliography
Gray, Jason. “Song of
the Week: Jason Gray -'Nothing is Wasted' (Remix).” The
Rabbit Room. February 12, 2013.
Accessed May 26, 2013. http://www.rabbitroom.com/2013/02/song-of-the-week-jason-gray-nothing-is-wasted-remix/.
[1] Jason
Gray, “Song of the Week: Jason Gray -'Nothing is Wasted' (Remix),” The Rabbit
Room, February 12, 2013, accessed May 26, 2013, http://www.rabbitroom.com/2013/02/song-of-the-week-jason-gray-nothing-is-wasted-remix/.
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