"Not Alone"

Was I alone on Christmas Eve,

Or did it seem that way,

A hotel room, a meal alone,

Before this Christmas day.

 I don’t really think so,

No way I was alone,

I saw so many faces,

And from them God’s light shone.

I saw my Dad and Mother,

Dad died back in oh one,

Mom went home last summer,

And yet I saw them come.

I wished her happy birthday,

She would be ninety-five,

She looked so young and pretty,

So very much alive.

They were not sad, but joyful,

And said heaven was great,

And as they passed from my sight,

They said that they would wait,

For when at last I joined them,

My sister, Laura, too,

They were looking forward,

To when my life was through.

I saw other faces,

My children’s eyes aglow,

From so many Christmases,

Both now and long ago.

I saw my sweet grandchildren,

My babies having kids,

They all hugged their Poppy,

I swear that’s what they did.

I talked with those who loved me,

Though they could not be there,

But I felt they were with me,

Their tenderness and care.

But best of all, I’m saving,

The One who’s first and last,

Alpha and Omega,

Lord of future, present, past.

And yes, the Lord was present,

His Spirit made me sing,

He never will forsake us,

His love means everything.

Today I’ll journey onward,

To see my love and kin,

They’ll all run out to greet me,

And we’ll all go on in.

The joy and love of children,

The laughter and the fun,

The good food and the presents,

To celebrate God’s Son.

But last night, too, was special,

With nobody there,

Because they all were with me,

With God’s presence everywhere.

“I have seen Your salvation…” (Luke 2:29, NLT)

An old man named Simeon said these words when Mary and Joseph put their eight day old son into his arms. The Spirit had revealed to him (somehow) that he would not die until he actually saw the Messiah. In all likelihood he spent years waiting and watching, traveling to the Temple each day to view the baby boys who were being dedicated to the Lord. And then, there was Jesus! He was the One! But, in a way, Jesus had always been present with old Simeon. He knew Him before he knew Him. Saw Him before He saw Him. And that’s why he recognized Jesus so clearly. He prayed that the Lord would take him home, now that he had seen God’s promised Savior. The first Christmas was his last! Simeon was directly connected to heaven, too, and all those who had gone before. We are connected as well. With each other, with those who have died, and most of all, with the Lord Himself. We may feel lonely at times, but we are truly never alone. It’s something to remember this season and every season of life.

Lord, help us to realize that we are never alone and You are always with us, in Jesus’ name.