The Christmas story – how beautiful, how glorious, how touching, how majestic! When we look at the pictures on the front of Christmas cards, it is all so wonderful. Mary and Joseph, in that pristine, immaculate manger, with everything sterilized and sanitized, holding the newborn Jesus in their arms. And, as we are told in the beautiful song, “All is Well”, everything is right with the world. As the first verse of that song tells us:

All is well
All is well
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of love’s light
Sing A-le
Sing Alleluia

The stars are shining, the moon is bright, the sky is cloudless, the animals are subdued and quiet in the presence of Jesus. Darkness has fallen into the dawn of love’s light. All is well with the world.

But, wait just a second. Is it really? Is all really well with the world? Was it really quiet, and sterile, and sanitary? Were the animals really quiet and subdued? Was everything right with the world? Actually, no, it wasn’t. The reality is that Mary and Joseph are now branded for life with the reputation of Mary having given birth to an illegitimate child. It was openly known that Joseph was not the father. And, they were not in a clean, sterile environment when Jesus was born. Rather, they were in a filthy animal shelter. The stench of animal waste would have been overwhelming to the young parents.

And after giving birth to her Son, Mary and Joseph are put through test after test, keeping Jesus safe from the attempts of King Herod to destroy Him. Mary is actually given the message by Simeon (when she and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to the Lord):

“Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed— and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Lk 2:34–35).

Can you imagine what Mary must have felt when she heard the words, “a sword will pierce your own soul”? She must have been bewildered, as she tried to make sense of this strange message. Perhaps she thought to herself that, no, all is not well with the world. And if she did have that thought, she would have been right.

Let’s try to bring this closer to home. As we think back over the past year, we might be among the throngs of people who have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Maybe you, personally, have contracted the disease. Perhaps someone you know and love has actually died from the virus. Perhaps you have suffered financially due to your place of work or business has been forced to shut down in the midst of the restrictions enforced by our government. Perhaps you have suffered the personal pain and anguish of not being able to see loved ones due to the restrictions on gatherings. Perhaps you know someone who lives alone, and has not been able to have any contact with loved ones and friends.

Or, beyond the impact of the virus, maybe you have been impacted in some way by all the violence which has been witnessed in major cities across the nation. Perhaps you owned one of the many businesses that were vandalized and looted at the hands of criminals. Or, perhaps you have heard the “C” word from your doctor, who then laid out a bleak outlook for the coming battle with the disease.

In the midst of all the chaos, confusion, and uncertainty, are you still able to say, “It is well”? As believers in Jesus Christ, knowing the real reason for the season of Christmas, we should always be able to state affirmatively and assertively, “It is well!” Regardless of the circumstances of life that are seemingly insurmountable, we should say “It is well.”

Allow me to close with a story found in the Old Testament book of Second Kings. In the fourth chapter of that book we are told about a Shunammite woman. Elisha the prophet had prophesied that she would give birth to a son, and in time this prophecy came true. However, there came a day when the boy died, and the Shunammite woman asked her husband for permission to go visit the prophet. Her husband asked if all was well, and she replied that, yes, indeed, all was well.

He sent her off to see Elisha, and when he saw her approaching he sent his servant to meet her and ask if all was well. She informed him that her husband was well, that she was well, and that her son was well. Really! All is well? Her son is stone cold dead, and she replies to Elisha’s servant that all is well.

Thinking back over the year 2020, in the midst of all the personal trials and troubles, could we, did we, give testimony that all was well? We should have been able to do that, but did we? Or, did we bemoan our personal sufferings and losses? Did we gripe and complain that our business was shut down while others were left to go on as usual? Did we complain that we experienced the ravages of the virus while others were left unscathed?

Or, did we give glory to God in the mist of it all? Mary and Joseph did. The Shunammite woman did. Daniel in the den of lions did. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did. The Apostle Paul did. Jesus did. And by God’s grace, we can, too. It all comes down to our personal perspective on life. If we believe that all things do work together for good to those who love God (Rom. 8:28), and if we truly believe that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory set before us in eternity (Rom. 8:18), then it enables us to state with assurance, “It is well”.

This Christmas season there are those in your circle of influence who need to hear this truth: in Christ, all is well. If God, by His amazing grace, allows you to suffer, then in the midst of the suffering state with confidence that all is well. Let the testimony of your life bear the truth that in Christ we can rest with absolute certainty that all is well here and now, and all will be well, regardless of the outcome of our present state of circumstances.

Once again, from me and Teresa, we wish for you and your family a most wonderful, meaningful and blessed Christmas.