My mind mentally prepared the holiday table – I’ll buy the table cloths with pumpkins and turkeys. Seating? I’ll have to borrow tables and chairs – I’ll need twenty-three chairs. As my imagination navigated the Thanksgiving table, I could see one chair that remained empty. I could see it plain as day, that empty chair silently sitting among the others filled … reminding me I’d be without my daughter this year, her absence had a seat in my heart.
As much as a loved one’s presence is felt, their absence is felt too.
May we talk about this hard, and good season? Many of us are going without a loved one this year, and the years to come. Parents are adjusting to empty beds come Christmas morning, and there are those adjusting to a newly filled grave … hard season? Yes. If you’re struggling to find some good, it is here, too. The good you may be looking for is found in the greatest expression of love given to us –
Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23).
As my mind stared at the empty chair, feelings of grief were deeply felt. Grief is unexpressed love and holding onto it is a way of staying close to the people we’ve lost or are missing. Perhaps you too find yourself holding onto grief in an attempt of keeping the one you love near? It’s OK – there was an empty seat in Heaven too, and grief is what brought Jesus to us – an expression of love needed to be given.
In Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1, we’re shown a chair that sat empty for a time so that we may know and experience the greatest expression of love this world has ever, and will ever know.
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”
Jesus’s chair sat empty as God gave Him to us. I wonder that looked like? Did Jesus simply stand up and instantly be present in Mary’s womb? Did Jesus wave goodbye to God? Did He say something like, “I’ll be back when the work is complete.”? One thing we know for sure, Heaven knew of Jesus’ absence and watched as He was born into our iniquities and grew to know our grief …
“He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:3-5
Jesus left His chair empty for you, so that He may know your pain, your grief, and your brokenness. Jesus is acquainted with empty chairs.
The empty chair in your home, the one that holds the weight of your grief – let it also remind you the Lord purposefully draws near the brokenhearted, He purposefully left His chair empty that you may know His companionship.
For those grieving this Christmas season, may I encourage you with this … when we express love, we release the grip of grief, why? – because Jesus is the ultimate expression of love, when we express Him, we receive Him. He chose to leave His seat empty in Heaven that we may know His presence on Earth.
There is something you have that another needs, love. Your grief reveals what you need – you need to express your love. The more you give it away, the more you’ll experience Jesus’ love and grief will loose it’s grip.
Make a phone call, send a letter, have the meet-up, give the gifts, extend a hand, … you are the expression of Jesus’ love, a love that understands grief.
Blessings,
