The Longest Night
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
by: Pastor Bill Hargis
Scripture: John 1:1-14
Key Verse:
The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5
Christmas wasn’t always my favorite time of year. My mom would start falling into a depressed state every year, soon after Thanksgiving. As Christmas grew closer, it would get worse. She would tell me daily that there was no money, so there wouldn’t be any Christmas, of course, there were always presents under the tree. My anxiety wasn’t because of the threat of no presents, it was because; when I was 13 years old, my mom tried to commit suicide, because of depression. After that, I was terrified each Christmas that she would try again.
So, thanks a lot Bill, and Merry Christmas to you too; this isn’t what a blog about Christmas should be. I shared this story simply because, sometimes we forget that sickness, loss, insecurity, and loneliness, do not take a vacation. There are people facing Christmas alone for the first time, because of the death of a loved one, or divorce. It’s hard to be jolly when you’ve lost your job and your home. Maybe someone has just learned they are unable to have children, or even worse, they have lost a child. While the rest of the world is celebrating and enjoying the Christmas season, others are facing their darkest hour.
It’s easy for us to forget about these people because of all the excitement and joy Christmas time offers us. While we’re celebrating HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE. Others are facing hurt, despair, and grief. These folks can’t see the hope, or have lost all hope, in the promise of Christmas.
A few years ago, I heard of a church service called “The longest night,” It’s called longest night because it is always held on the night of the winter solstice. The winter solstice is when the earths north pole is at its maximum tilt away from the sun. This is the day with the shortest period of daylight, therefore the longest night.
So, what should we expect during the longest night service? A chance to come together with others who are experiencing the same hurt and loss that we are feeling. A safe place where we can grieve with others who understand the pain that we’re feeling. Loving arms, ready to hold you up, and an understanding shoulder to cry on. There are words of encouragement, comfort, and hope. There will be time for reflection, prayer, music and reading of scripture. You will be with people, who like you, are grieving and hurting. This service will give us an opportunity to realize, we are not alone in our despair.
The Longest night service I use, is based on an order developed and used at the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, in Honolulu Hawaii. This service has deep meaning for me. It allows us to find comfort by knowing we aren’t alone in our suffering, while at the same time we are reminded of God’s Love for us. His grace and mercy have no bounds.
One of the reasons I like this order is because it opens with the very verses I turn to when I’m needing assurance of God’s love.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by God, and without God nothing came to be. What came to be through God was life, and this life was the light of the world. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it, God loves us enough that the word became flesh and lived among us, (John 1).”
I have struggled all week with this blog, how do you make grief and hurt sound “Christmassy?” Last night, I believe God gave me an answer, when I was awakened with a song in my mind, sang by England Dan and John Ford Coley. Folks, Love is the answer.
If you are struggling with the holiday season, please consider joining us at 5:00pm, December 21st , for our Longest Night service at FUMC. It’s dark now, but “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Light of the World
[Verse 1]
Name your price
A ticket to paradise
I can't stay here anymore
And I've looked high and low
I've been from shore to shore to shore
If there's a shortcut, I'd have found it
But there is no easy way around it
[Chorus]
Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
[Verse 2]
Who knows why?
Someday we all must die
We're all homeless boys and girls
And we are never heard
It's such a lonely, lonely, lonely world
People turn their heads and walk on by
Tell me, is it worth just another try?
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
Tell me, are we alive
Or just a dying planet?
(What are the chances?)
Ask the man in your heart
For the answer
And when you feel afraid
(Love one another)
When you've lost your way
(Love one another)
And when you're all alone
(Love one another)
And when you're far from home
(Love one another)
And when you're down and out
(Love one another)
And when your hopes run out
(Love one another)
And when you need a friend
(Love one another)
And when you're near the end
(Love, we got to love)
(We got to love one another)
[Chorus]
Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
A Prayer for Comfort in Grief
Dear God, in this time of sorrow and loss, I turn to you for strength and comfort. Please wrap your loving arms around me and grant me the peace that surpasses all understanding. Help me find solace in the memories of my loved one, and guide me through this difficult journey of grief. Amen.
From BibleStudyTools.com - 15 Prayers for Greif
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