Home for Christmas

Home for Christmas

By Rev. Dr. Justin Rossow

“I’ll be home for Christmas, you can count on me…” I’ve had that song playing in my head for a month now. I remember rehearsing that tune with a big band in Germany during an exchange year; I’d make fake sobbing sounds from the trumpet section every time we got to the refrain. I was joking, but it was also sad to sing, an ocean away, “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams …”

My mom tells a story about picking up my dad from the airport. They were engaged to be married, and he had been away far too long. When he got to the airport parking lot, she rushed into his arms. His first words were, “Welcome home.” Mom remembers those words, because that’s what it felt like: he had been traveling, but in his arms, she was finally home.

Ever since our first parents left the Garden of Eden, we have carried with us a sad and quiet longing for home. The distance was too great for us to find our way back to God; being home, really Home for Christmas, was possible only in our dreams.

So God did something about it. God bridged the divide from heaven’s side. God refused to stand remotely by and watch our suffering at a distance. That’s the meaning of Emmanuel: Jesus is “God with us.” God! With us! Finally!! Jesus shows up, takes you in his arms, and says, “Welcome Home.”

Reprinted from the Next Step Community blog by Rev. Dr. Justin Rossow and his book You, Follow Me A Daily Travel Log for Advent/Christmas 2019.

Find the original blog and more here

Recent

Archive

 2024
 2020
 September
 November

Categories

Tags

2020 2nd thursday AAA pregnancy center Adult Bible Class Advent by candlelight Ascension Ash Wednesday Asia Bake Sale Belize Bible Class Bible Study Body of Christ CHRISTmas Blessings Care groups Christmas Class of 2020 Decade Epiphany Eyeglass clinic Family of God February Football Frenzy Ferrys First Responders Forever Young God chooses Good Shepherd Gospel Holy week Home for christmas Imposition of Ashes Inner-city pastor Kobe Bryant LWML Lent Life Light Linda Waara Livonia Look back MOST Mental Health Mercy Methodist Children's Home Society Methodist Children\'s Home Society Mike Puterbaugh Mission trip Missionaries New Year Next step Outreach Parenting Pastor Khumalo Pastor Read the Bible Riverboat Tour Seniors Silas South Africa Strategic Operations Workshop Sunday School Sunday morning Thrivent Tyler Update Vision We will Rise Women of the Word Worship 2021 You follow Me Youth Gathering Youth Group activities advent apricots baptism basketball berries bible study at home bible blessing brain and stroke cancer change cherries children in worship children chocolate comfort communications community connection connect control cooking coronavirus cross crsis dairy free death detroit dietrich bonhoeffer discipleship easter education egg free exercise faith families family of faith devotionals family of faith family fellowship full life fun future games generosity give thanksks giving gluten free good and bad good friday grief growth guatemala healthily lifestyle health heart health help holy spirit hope ice cream inspiration installation jesus legacy legend lemon life lessons lime love maundy thursday meals media memory mission trips missions mission mobile compassion ministry new creation new life no screens nut free offering online discipleship online ordination other fruits palm sunday pandemic parish nurse parish nursing paul peaches pentecost perfect love plans plan podcast prayer prepare promise quarantine racism recipes relationships remember reopening resources resurrection retreat return to worhsip rhubarb safety school senior pastor sermons servant serve service serving sharing the faith sharing staff staying connected stephen ministry street ministry student suicide summer support teams thank you tithes transitions trust video volunteer website wellness worship at home worship youth and family night zucchini