It is the season of celebration. Opportunities to give unabashedly of our time, our money, our love. It is also a time of sadness for some. The term, “empty chair” means more at some tables than others. It is either a guest who has declined this time or a guest who will never arrive. I, like many of you, have empty chairs around my table. Many empty chairs. How do we handle this joyous season of celebration surrounded by empty chairs? Reminders of happier times. Memories of the love we shared, even during the hard times…Gone from us, but still with us. Only God can make that happen.
Shall we look at the table from the empty chair perspective. I believe and I pray, that our guests are sitting at the table of grace, looking into the face of the baby from long ago, who grew to manhood and died, that we might have eternal life. It might be difficult to think about…But, whose table would they desire to sit at? Whose home would they desire to visit? I think if they could speak with us now, we know the answer to those questions. It is the Father’s house.
So, let us find the joy in spite of the loss. Let us “look at what God has done!”
The sadness that any father would have, putting His children outside the gate, surely cast a shadow over the garden. Flaming swords and angels to keep them from returning to the table in paradise. To His table. Turning His back to their choice to disobey the one rule of His house. Just one. Sadness, that they could not stay loyal to the rules of the Father’s house.
Wandering there in the silence that comes, when the children leave us. He must have begun thinking through, how He might allow His children a point of return to Him. Who shall I choose to carry out my plan to redeem my little ones from their disobedient past? No one? There is no one who can walk through evil and not be affected by it?
Wait! There is One. I can redeem my children. I can drop to earth. I can be born through a virgin. I can cause wisemen to follow a bright star to my manger. I can grow and teach and train. I can walk a sinless life among evil. I can answer evil with the word of God. I can redeem the world. I can call all men to me, through One who can overcome a sinful world. I can do this! I can shed my blood and live again, forever. The Great I Am…
He came. He grew. He taught. He loved. He forgave. He rose. He sits at the table of grace, in the Fathers’s house. The chairs that are empty at our table? They were pulled to welcome our beloved to His table. Sadness? No not sadness. Just awe at the amazing grace of a God who found a way to bring us to Him once again. Jesus is His name. Political correctness can not remove that name above all names. Evil, tried to halt His mission. Evil, failed. Evil tries everyday to draw us from the table of grace. Keep reading His words. Speak them. Keep your conversation open to Him daily. Think about your stories. The good, the bad and the ugly parts. All of your story. If you have found the baby…You have found the reason for celebration. You can truthfully say, “Look what God has done!” If you have not found Him yet, keep seeking Him. He is waiting for you.
Those chairs aren’t empty. Angels abide there. Eternally and forever.
~Scripture For Today~
Psalm 136:23-24
23 Who remembered us in our low estate. For His lovingkindness is everlasting, 24 And has rescued us from our adversaries, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (NASB)
1 Chronicles 16:15
15 Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations.
Matthew 1:21-23
21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.”
~Prayer For Today~
Hello Father! Thank You for Your love for us. For making a way back to You. Wipe our tears away. Fill the empty voids in our hearts. Enable us to look outside ourselves to all that You have done for us! We pray for voices that speak the wonderful name of Your Son…Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. You came to earth, to lead us back to You. We stand in amazing grace at all You have done and will do for us. Forgive us our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.