Another Christmas eve. The thought ran through my mind. I was among friends. If you can call the six guys sitting in this dark bar ‘friends. Most of them were acquaintances. You know, people whose name I knew but little of nothing about their lives or most anything outside the things we talked about within these tobacco stained walls.
Right now, none of us were talking. There seemed to be a gloom hanging over the room like a fog or was that just the haze of countless cigarettes smoked. Six guys and a bartender named Pete here drinking on a night when most of the world was waiting in anticipation for tomorrow, Christmas. I don’t think any of us were all that excited at the thought of it. And to tell you the truth most of us were probably dreading it. Another Christmas alone. Another proof that our lives were in the tank. The Sixth Avenue Bar losers club.
As I finished by 4th or 5th whiskey and coke. I heard Pete whistling softly. It was a tune I knew well, probably so did everyone else. The words came to me like a memory of better days gone by. “Silent night, holy night….” For some reason I felt even sadder than I had before and said, “Why don’t you knock off the whistling! If I wanted to go to a Christmas concert I certainly wouldn’t have come to this dive. Bring me another one of these and keep Christmas to yourself.” I could see hurt in Pete’s eyes but, hey, I was paying his wage so the least he could do was clam up and pour me another.
Silence prevailed for a few moments, then I heard a low voice sing, “Silent night, holy night all is calm all is bright….” Looking down the bar I saw the guy I knew as Will staring down into his drink and singing like a man trying to conjure up a happy spirit. Oh, how I wanted to tell him to cut it out, but his voice was remarkably sweet, and something seemed to stop me. Instead I found myself mumbling a few of the words, “……round yon virgin mother and Child, holy infant so tender and mild…” soon more voices joined in “sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace…” All the voices trailed off as if it was planned. And as Pete brought me my drink, he said, “Merry Christmas, John.” I wished I could say, “Same to you, Pete.” But for some reason I was choked up and I could see so were the other guys sitting with me. The losers club choir had brought down the house. Together yet so alone on Christmas eve.
I am praying that as you read this that none of you are experiencing a Christmas season where you feel isolated or alone. I have lived through many of them and I know the deep hopeless feeling that can come with this time when joy seems to permeate everyone’s life but yours. If you are in a place where you are alone, I cannot fill your life with friends and family, but I can offer the same hope that now helps when I am alone or surrounded by love ones. The hope that comes in knowing the true Christ of Christ-mas, Jesus my friend and my Savior.
Maybe some of you are thinking, I have heard this all before. All I have to do is believe in this Jesus and my life will be wonderful. I am not here to tell you that. But what I am here to tell you is that where you now have no hope, in Jesus you can find it. Here is a quote from Isaac of Nineveh, a 7th century theologian, that sums up my feeling about true hope “The soul that loves God has its rest in God and in God alone. In all the paths that men walk in in the world, they do not attain peace until they draw nigh to hope in God.” If you have tried all kinds of worldly devices to bring you peace and hope and still feel empty, here are a few promises from God’s Word that you can trust.
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:10)
My wish for you this season of the Christ child is that you can find your hope in him. You might ask, “What does it take?” and the answer is simple yet takes a lifetime to complete. Believe! Say this simple prayer today:
“Jesus I am hurting and not sure where to turn help me today to trust and believe in you!”
My friend, what have you got to lose? I can tell you I said a prayer like this one 10 years ago and no my life did not change overnight, but it did change. I no longer am going to sit with the Sixth Avenue loser choir this Christmas eve. But I will be singing with a hopeful, joy filled heart:
Silent night
Holy night
All is calm
All is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
(Silent night)
(Holy night)
(All is calm)
(All is bright)
Round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Peace and Joy to you my brothers and sisters! Merry Christmas
John
12/16/19
