First Christmas As A Single Father

This is the first Christmas as me, instead of we. This year started with so much promise, and has been filled with so much pain. But along with that pain, God has given extra measures of His grace and love.

Today, I have my son with me, and I have other loved ones that are here to celebrate the ultimate gift, God becoming man. I can’t fully wrap my mind around that, it is beyond me.

There will be gifts, food everywhere, and love of friends and family. There will be thanks and praise to our God for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Yet, there will also be an underlying sadness for what has been lost. This family has been violently ripped apart by the selfish desires of one person. Part of me is tempted to be angry and vengeful. But, those negative emotions would serve no purpose.

I do not want to forget that there are those, who do not have all the blessings that God has given me. The ones who will be denied the opportunity to see their children, because the custodial parent decides to use their power to hurt the other parent, and does not see the depth of the pain they bring on their children.

The pain of the widow or widower that lost their life partner, and is facing their first Christmas alone. Many of them are older. The kids have grown and moved away, and may not be able to come home for Christmas. How many of them will spend this Christmas utterly alone?

Then, there are those that have lost their jobs, or primary source of income. There will be no gifts under some of those trees, and those parents struggle with feelings of failure and worthlessness.

I pray that God will reach down to each of these hurting people, and wrap His loving arms around them. This day, I am reminded of the amazing gift that God provided to reconcile us to Him. It is also, however, a reminder of just how much pain the curse of sin has brought to mankind.

It makes me long for Christ triumphant return, to the day that sin will be abolished, and we will spend eternity with Him.

Merry Christmas, everyone. May God’s love fill your hearts and homes, as we celebrate God’s most amazing gift to man.