Tim Hartzler, Campus Pastor at CCHO, shares some insights into Christmas for the kids at CCHO.
Christmas season is a time of year that most of us look forward to with joyful expectations. Whether it is time spent with loved ones, shopping for gifts given in happiness and received with gratitude, or the fun holiday traditions unique to our own experiences and lives, we do it all with a happy smile and heart full of love.
For some, like the children at the Christian Children’s Home of Ohio, though, the Christmas season can bring on a mix of emotions. Intertwined with all the positive things of the season are the uncomfortable feelings of sadness, loneliness and unmet expectations brought on by a painful past.
A few years ago, we had a church group visit CCHO that provided our kids with some fun holiday cheer by providing Christmas trees for our kids to put up in our dining hall as well as some cookies to ice and decorate before devouring. It all seemed like normal things to do and enjoy, but one of the girls asked me if she could speak to the group publicly.
This particular girl was known to build strong walls to keep others out and generally did a good job of hiding her emotions. It was because of this that I was surprised when, with tears streaming down her face, she shared how grateful she was that this church had shown up and provided for her with the Christmas that she had never gotten as a child.
It was a sobering reminder of just how fortunate I was to have the childhood that I had, and I would be lying if I said that I hadn’t shed a few (okay maybe a lot!) of tears myself and hugged my son extra tight that night.
It is also a reminder to not forget the true meaning of the season. Though we currently reside in an earth filled with pain, suffering and sadness, (much like the kids at CCHO). We cling to the hope we have in Christ. Our savior, who condescended, took on flesh and blood, lived a perfect life only to die a criminal’s death upon a cross. And He will one day return to set things right and bring us home with Him!
We will be tempted to be joyful this season just until January when we must settle back into the monotonous doldrums of our lives. Instead, would we take the time to hope. Hope in the future that is promised to us. Revelation 21:4 says, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Let’s rejoice in the future we have to look forward to.
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