It's always winter and never Christmas

I've been reading C.S. Lewis's Narnia series lately. It's hard to admit but it's my first attempt to read the whole series. When I was in Bible College our Dean of Students, Bob Tees, assigned a different Narnia book for each year's student leadership retreat. One year we sat around a campfire reading and discussing portions of The Silver Chair and the next year we were doing the same with The Last Battle. I was a student leader in both those years so I read those books. Sadly I never made it to the rest of the series, until now.

A few days ago I finished The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Near the beginning of the book the children enter a time in Narnia when, "It's always winter and never Christmas". The Witch rules and it is only later in the book when Christmas comes as Aslan turns "the table" on the Witch.  

Today's "always winter and never Christmas" has less to do with a Witch and more to do with a virus. The seemingly unending waves of COVID-19 feel like winter without Christmas. When we start to think good news might be around the corner, we get more bad news. 

A couple of weeks ago the pastor at the church we attend talked about joy. He asked, "what brings you joy?" I didn't think too long before I had my answer: unexpected good news. I thought about times I've been surprised by a sudden and unanticipated announcement or realization of good news and joy burst forth.

The shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks when an angel appeared to them with good news of great joy. "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men and women on whom his favour rests'". (Luke 2:13-14 NIV). The shepherds were living in a time when it was always winter and never Christmas. Then Christmas came and so did joy. We are living in the anxious days of COVID-19. It has been winter for a long time but Christmas has come. May Jesus surprise you with joy this season as you celebrate another wintry Christmas.