Sorrow and Joy Walk Hand in Hand

Christmas this year has shown itself a difficult one for me. 

Our son spent his first Christmas with his wife last year. That was our first Christmas in twenty-three years, that our little family of four was not  together.

As I hung the ornaments on our eclectic Family tree this year, I thought about were each one came from and who had helped in adding to our colorful evergreen. With these memories came the thought of next year and not have either of our children with us as our daughter sets out on her own.

With each ornament came memories and thoughts; memories of the past and thoughts of the future. I realized, at that moment, that sorrow (of what has changed and passed on) and joy (what was ahead for my children as they start their own families and establish their own traditions) were walking hand in hand through my mind. 

A sense of sorrow, loss, and disappointment was meeting up with the joy that comes in what is ahead; in the trust that your hope holds on to, that a good life ahead is not in vain. 

As my thoughts wondered they came upon the reason for Christmas in the life of a Christian, Jesus. As we read of His entrance to the earth as a human baby, we see Mary his mother, having thoughts of "sorrow and joy" in Luke 2:26-38. The sorrow would have come with the realization that an engaged women should not be found with child before she is married and the joy (that overtook any sorrow) was knowing that she was carrying the Son of God.

Joseph also had thoughts of "sorrow and joy" as he learned of Mary's special circumstances knowing of the shame that could follow them both the rest of their lives (Matthew 1:18-25). Yet, as with Mary, Joseph was willing to put aside the thoughts of sorrow for the joy that came in knowing that a angel of Lord  told him that the coming little one was God's own Son.

Jesus Himself, in Isaiah 53:3, is called a man of sorrow, yet for the joy (Hebrews 12:2) set before endured. Sorrow and joy at times walked hand in hand in the Savior's thoughts.

Wow, God is so good! I can see in the example of two simple people and in the life of my Savior that even though, at times, sorrow and joy walk hand in hand it is alright and as long as I am willing to trust God. So don't allow the sorrow to over take you when it come but instead be willing to look forward to the joy that is ahead.