In Thy Tender Care

A brief Christmas greeting

Hi there

I would wish you all a very Merry Christmas, but I know that for so many the day is not merry, and indeed feels much lonelier or sadder than the average day because of the contrast between how this day is compared to what we wish it would be.

November was a washout for me, unable to do very much of anything because of my M.E. These days, though I’m still housebound and limited, I don’t get really bad relapses very often, so it was easier to take than in previous years.

They say that Christmas is all about the giving, and I know what they mean, but this year I am thinking of everyone who has given more than they had capacity to give, and now they’re all burnt out.

Maybe that’s you. You carry the daily drain of obligations that build up, and it seems like you’re required to do more and more. And you can’t. Perhaps you carry the burden, more than others seem to, of concern for the world seemingly doomed to destruction. Maybe you are bone-weary from living in a body that doesn’t cooperate. Maybe you are soul-weary from living in a situation that’s relentless. Maybe you are tired, a little weepy, and it all feels too much.

This year, my thoughts about Christmas have been about Jesus’ relationship with Mary in those early days. The God who spoke creation into being was born into a physical body. Suddenly limited, the God-baby would have been tired and at least a little weepy. God the Son would have been held by Mary. Maybe she stroked his head softly, and perhaps Jesus curled his whole infant hand around her finger.

Sometimes, when giving is too much, we just need to be held, and to grip our fists around God’s finger.

Wherever you are, and whatever situation you face today, whether joyous or difficult, I pray that you may know what it means to be held by God.

Have a very tender Christmas.

Tanya