Christmas in the ER (Don Sweeting)

We have several folks who've been in the hospital this past week, and a couple who are still there today.  Dr. Don Sweeting's recent article, "Living in an ER World-- Even During Christmas" from the latest RTS "Ministry & Leadership" magazine was very timely.  He writes,

You can have one of two reactions to hardship and tragedy that comes at Christmas time.  On the one hand, you can get angry, and think This is ruining my Christmas! Why does this have to happen to me?  And where is God in all this anyway? This is the reaction of many of us, if we are honest.  Sometimes we let our anger grow into bitterness and cynicism.

But there is another, dare I say, more "Christmasy" way to respond to this.  And by "Christmasy," I don't mean sentimental and filled with holiday cheer.  This other way to respond to the mess of our broken world is to realize the emergency-room stuff does not threaten the message of Christmas, but actually confirms it.  The world is desperately out of joint and needs a Savior.  The brokenness is so bad that we cannot fix it ourselves.  With all our digital wizardry and biotech prowess, we remain helpless.  We desperately need God to break in and help us in our emergency condition.

That is exactly what the Bible says happened in that first Christmas.  God broke into an ER world as part of a divine rescue operation.  He sent His Son to save us.

So how about you?  Do you have some ER moments this Christmas? Are you reminded of some tough times each year when the holidays roll around?  How has Christ demonstrated a "divine rescue operation" in your life?