God's Glory Church

“Have hope in God, because I will still thank Him for His salvation, my God!” — Psalm 41:12

My mom’s shiny red cross should be hanging by her bedside in the cancer center. And I should prepare for holiday visits in the breaks between planned procedures. All I wanted for Christmas was to spend one more day with my mother. Instead, I was at home… and hanging her cross on the Christmas tree.

As my son Xavier turned on the garlands, I whispered, “Thank you.” He answered: “Please.” My son did not know that I was thanking God that He used flickering light bulbs to direct my eyes to the eternal Light of hope – Jesus Christ.

The author of Psalm 41 expressed his sincere emotions to God (vv. 2-5). Then the nature of his speech changes, and he says: “Have hope in God, because I will still thank Him for His salvation” (v. 6). Despite the fact that the psalmist is overwhelmed by sadness and suffering, his hope is revived by the memory of God’s faithfulness in the past (vv. 7-11). At the end of the psalm, he rejects doubts and affirms the steadfastness of purified faith: “Why are you sad, my soul, and why are you worried about me? Have hope in God, because I will still thank Him for the salvation of His, my God” (v. 12).

For many of us, the Christmas season brings both joy and sadness. Fortunately, even these mixed emotions can be enlightened by the promises of the true Light of hope – the Lord Jesus Christ.

How did the Lord Jesus help you overcome grief during the celebration of Christmas? How can you support someone who is grieving during this time?

Dear Jesus, thank you for guiding me through times of sorrow and joy throughout the year.

Author: Sosheel Dixon