God Keeps His Promises

This Christmas season has been very hard for me as someone very dear to my heart did not keep a special promise. This has tinted so much of my life in the past few months, dimming every aspect of with a dark shade. As Adrian Plass writes a “chilled and sullen sense of loss" that pervades my being. While I understand the Why of their actions, it has not lessened the pain.

After my siblings had left for other engagements today, with that familiar shade creeping back in the quiet of the afternoon, I decided to hide in my room for a nap and quiet brooding.

Picking up the birthday book Barbara gave me, I read the following passage, and was warmed with the peace and comfort that God keeps His promises, even when people don’t. While the pain is still a deep ache when focused on I am comforted beyond words… because God understands. And so do other people as this poem shows. Continuing to bring everything before him, he takes care of us beyond expectations.

The Promise of Christmas – Adrian Plass

I suspect that those of you who do not find this time of year easy will appreciate the poem that follows. Promises are not always kept on this side of the grave. That is the way life is. God will always keep his promises, though, and when we do finally reach heaven, we will be amazed to find that the essence of all the innocent things that we loved most in this world are there. How could not that be so? He made them.

When I’m in heaven

Tell me there’ll be Christmases without the pain

No memories that will not fade

No chilled and sullen sense of loss

That can not face the festive flame

Nor breathe excitement from the ice-cream air

Tell me how the things that Christmas should have been

Will be there for eternity in one long shining dawn

For all of us to share

I love the promises of Christmas