Lonely at Christmas
Lonely voices crying in the city,
Lonely voices sounding like a child;
Lonely voices come from busy people,
Too disturbed to stop a little while.
Lonely faces looking for the sunrise,
Just to find another busy day;
Lonely faces all around the city,
Men afraid, but too ashamed to pray.
Billie Hanks, Jr ©1967 Hope Publishing Co.
The world has a large population of lonely people and, for many, Christmastime can accentuate that solitary feeling. Whether it’s the homeless, for whom charities such as Crisis @ Christmas, Salvation Army, & City missionaries seek to minister to, or the pangs of bereavement, loss of family, separation or divorce, many people will face a lonely Christmas. May our hearts be open in prayer and our wallets/purses etc. be open to give where we are able.
In places like St Catherine’s Hospice in Crawley, care and medical help are constantly provided for those who, through the ravages of cancer and the like, are approaching the end of their lives, often with a sense of loneliness. We have the opportunity at our Christmas services this year to give to this vital work. Envelopes will be available for our donations. Please remember those in such need.
But there is a deeper kind of loneliness. That of the life empty of the love of Jesus Christ, God’s
own Son. So many people are in that tragic state, whether through the busyness of life, the hunger for more to satisfy the emptiness, or through being misled by religions that do not teach the love of God, only his justice and holiness; who do not proclaim the forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection; who know nothing of a loving relationship with the Lord of Glory.
But we know that love—don’t we? We have that forgiveness—don’t we? We enjoy that relationship with the Lord Jesus—don’t we? Then we need to seek every opportunity to share such wonderful news with all around—and especially at this joyful, but otherwise lonely time of the year. In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19 (ESV)
Steve Piggott
Elder
December 2012
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