Presence In The Midst of Brokenness
As we watched the young man at the tree farm tie our newly picked Christmas tree to the top of our car, my wife, Jane, asked me what I thought was an absurd question: “He looks so young. Do you think he knows how to tie the tree on so it doesn’t fall off?”
My brilliant response was, of course he does, he works at a tree farm!
But shortly after we pulled onto the highway and got up to speed, we heard a thud, and the tree flew off the roof. To make matters worse, it got stuck under the car, sparking from beneath while sparks of worry and frustration flew from my family inside!
I thought: This is my Charlie Brown Christmas tree moment. Christmas is ruined!
We pulled over, salvaged the tree, and tied it on tighter than ever. When we finally set it up at home, it had broken limbs, bare spots, and some branches missing needles. Yet to my surprise, the words of Charlie Brown’s best friend, the “prophet” Linus, rang true:
“I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”
And you know what? That tree became my favorite one ever! I smiled every time I looked at it.
It reminded me that we all have broken branches, bare spots, and missing needles. We’re all carrying some kind of brokenness. Some of us feel it in our bodies, others in our families, and for some, our dreams and hopes feel shattered. Others feel the pain and hurt of this world, and we all face things that no one else knows about. And in all of this, we need the presence of Love.
And here’s the good news in all this mess: the Gospel of Matthew tells us that Mary “will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” (Matthew 1:23)
One of the most powerful messages of Christmas is that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, and he was born right in the middle of humanity’s mess. Some of the religious leaders at Jesus’ time distanced themselves from the struggles, doubts, and brokenness of life, Jesus didn’t. He entered fully into the human experience. He is that presence of love, God with us!
And it’s the Apostle Paul who says that nothing can separate us from that love:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height
nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39)
Many of us have that person in our lives who seems to be there no matter what we go through. They may not have the answers or be able to remove our burdens, but their presence matters deeply. Jesus doesn’t always answer all our questions or take away the pain of life, but His presence makes all the difference in the world!
When Moses complained to God that his assignment was too big, God answered “I will be with you.” But Moses objected again complaining that he wasn’t an articulate speaker, God simply said, “I will be with your mouth!” And a throughout the history of Israel, God promised HIs presence. In the wilderness, in captivity and even in their failure, God said again and again, I will be with you.
And Jesus before his ascension said to bewildered disciples, “I will be with you always.” Immanuel.
This Christmas season can be full of joy, nostalgia, and treasured relationships—but it can also be a time of busyness, stress, sorrow and anxiety. As I realize that God is with me, broken limbs and all, I can find comfort and hope. I’m not alone, because God is at work in me and in the world in ways I don’t see. And because of His presence, sometimes the most profound beauty is found in our most broken places.
Merry Christmas,
George Boehmer