The Reason for the Season
Stories
Harry looked out the window and sighed as he watched the snow falling outside. He looked over his shoulder and noticed Agnes wasn’t paying attention to him, so he sighed louder.
“Something the matter?” Agnes asked looking up from the computer screen.
“Nothing in particular.” He turned his attention back to the snowfall. “Sorry to bother you.”
“Oh, okay.” she went back to reading the screen in front of her.
He watched outside for a few more minutes. “I listened to the news.”
“Oh?” she looked up again. “And?”
“I was just thinking about what I heard.”
Agnes waited for a moment and when Harry didn’t say anything she focused on the screen again.
Harry sighed again. “It’s just that the news is so bleak.”
Agnes looked at her husband. “I thought you said things are getting better.”
“I guess they are.” Harry went back to looking out the window.
Agnes watched him for a few moments and turned off her screen. “So, what is bothering you?”
Harry turned around to face her and furrowed his brow. “Why would you say something is bothering me?”
“We’ve been married for forty years.” Agnes rolled her eyes. “I know when something is bothering you. What’s the trouble?”
“I thought things were getting better. There was such optimism just a few months ago. People were back out and around and things were looking up. Truth is that life was going back to normal and then...” Harry shrugged. “Now it seems like we are caught up in another period of worry and fear.”
“Are you talking about the tensions between nations, the climate crisis, the health crisis, or the economy?”
“All of them I guess.” Harry frowned. “I thought we’d have something good to celebrate this Christmas.”
“Are you worried that we won’t be able to have family home this year like that other year?”
Harry shook his head. “No, I know that John and Sue are coming home. Beth might make it too.”
“So, are you worried we won’t have enough money to feed them when they arrive?”
“What are you talking about? We have money put aside for the holidays, don’t we?”
“We certainly do.” Agnes paused. “So, are we going to put up decorations, go to church or any of the other things we do to celebrate the season?”
“Of course, we’ll do all those things.” He shrugged. “It just feels like there is a shadow over the world this year with all the troubles and predictions of worse to come.”
Agnes considered her husband for a moment. “How long have we known each other?”
“More than fifty years I think.” He tilted his head. “What has that got to do with it?”
“How many of those years was the world calm and everything good at Christmas?”
Harry opened his mouth and then closed it. He thought for a few minutes before answering. “None of them I guess.”
“That’s my recollection too.” She smiled. “Why do we celebrate Christmas?”
“We remember the birth of Jesus and what God does for us through the Savior.” Harry tapped his chin. “Which I guess is something to celebrate no matter what is happening in the world.”
“Actually, it is something to celebrate because of what is happening in the world.“ Agnes took a deep breath. “We celebrate because God’s love is greater, God’s grace is stronger, and God’s mercy never ends. Which means that when Jesus is born, we know, we believe, we trust that God will bring salvation and new life. That is why we celebrate and share joy and hope at Christmas.”
Harry stared at her and then smiled. “I guess you’re right. Even though things are bad in the world, God’s promise in Jesus still shines through.”
“Absolutely.”
“So, what you are saying is that no matter what is happening in the world we have a reason for joy and we will feel joy because of Jesus.” Harry held up a hand before she could speak. “Let me rephrase that. We feel joy because of Jesus who is God’s answer to us in our world of need and suffering.”
Agnes nodded. “There is nothing wrong with listening to the news and being concerned about events and indeed we should do things to help others and make the world a better place. But we should never forget that God is greater than our worries and fears and brings us joy in Jesus.”
“I like the way you put things. You explain them so it is easy to understand.” Harry smiled. “How do you do that?”
“I’ve had lots of practice, my dear,” Agnes shook her head and turned her screen back on. “I’ve had lots of practice.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, December 12, 2021 issue.
Copyright 2021 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“Something the matter?” Agnes asked looking up from the computer screen.
“Nothing in particular.” He turned his attention back to the snowfall. “Sorry to bother you.”
“Oh, okay.” she went back to reading the screen in front of her.
He watched outside for a few more minutes. “I listened to the news.”
“Oh?” she looked up again. “And?”
“I was just thinking about what I heard.”
Agnes waited for a moment and when Harry didn’t say anything she focused on the screen again.
Harry sighed again. “It’s just that the news is so bleak.”
Agnes looked at her husband. “I thought you said things are getting better.”
“I guess they are.” Harry went back to looking out the window.
Agnes watched him for a few moments and turned off her screen. “So, what is bothering you?”
Harry turned around to face her and furrowed his brow. “Why would you say something is bothering me?”
“We’ve been married for forty years.” Agnes rolled her eyes. “I know when something is bothering you. What’s the trouble?”
“I thought things were getting better. There was such optimism just a few months ago. People were back out and around and things were looking up. Truth is that life was going back to normal and then...” Harry shrugged. “Now it seems like we are caught up in another period of worry and fear.”
“Are you talking about the tensions between nations, the climate crisis, the health crisis, or the economy?”
“All of them I guess.” Harry frowned. “I thought we’d have something good to celebrate this Christmas.”
“Are you worried that we won’t be able to have family home this year like that other year?”
Harry shook his head. “No, I know that John and Sue are coming home. Beth might make it too.”
“So, are you worried we won’t have enough money to feed them when they arrive?”
“What are you talking about? We have money put aside for the holidays, don’t we?”
“We certainly do.” Agnes paused. “So, are we going to put up decorations, go to church or any of the other things we do to celebrate the season?”
“Of course, we’ll do all those things.” He shrugged. “It just feels like there is a shadow over the world this year with all the troubles and predictions of worse to come.”
Agnes considered her husband for a moment. “How long have we known each other?”
“More than fifty years I think.” He tilted his head. “What has that got to do with it?”
“How many of those years was the world calm and everything good at Christmas?”
Harry opened his mouth and then closed it. He thought for a few minutes before answering. “None of them I guess.”
“That’s my recollection too.” She smiled. “Why do we celebrate Christmas?”
“We remember the birth of Jesus and what God does for us through the Savior.” Harry tapped his chin. “Which I guess is something to celebrate no matter what is happening in the world.”
“Actually, it is something to celebrate because of what is happening in the world.“ Agnes took a deep breath. “We celebrate because God’s love is greater, God’s grace is stronger, and God’s mercy never ends. Which means that when Jesus is born, we know, we believe, we trust that God will bring salvation and new life. That is why we celebrate and share joy and hope at Christmas.”
Harry stared at her and then smiled. “I guess you’re right. Even though things are bad in the world, God’s promise in Jesus still shines through.”
“Absolutely.”
“So, what you are saying is that no matter what is happening in the world we have a reason for joy and we will feel joy because of Jesus.” Harry held up a hand before she could speak. “Let me rephrase that. We feel joy because of Jesus who is God’s answer to us in our world of need and suffering.”
Agnes nodded. “There is nothing wrong with listening to the news and being concerned about events and indeed we should do things to help others and make the world a better place. But we should never forget that God is greater than our worries and fears and brings us joy in Jesus.”
“I like the way you put things. You explain them so it is easy to understand.” Harry smiled. “How do you do that?”
“I’ve had lots of practice, my dear,” Agnes shook her head and turned her screen back on. “I’ve had lots of practice.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, December 12, 2021 issue.
Copyright 2021 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
