It's official, Britain is getting lonelier.
According to the anomie index (I know, its a terrible name) the loneliest place 30 years ago has a stronger sense of belonging than the closest place today. What this represents is a nationwide breaking down of communities that leaves us all feeling less involved, more isolated, and lonelier. The most vulnerable, of course, are the eldest amongst us but this loneliness is something that can be felt by people of any age, and especially at Christmas, as Kate Bosher writes, "Isn't it funny that at Christmas something in you gets so lonely for - I don't know what exactly, but it's something that you don't mind so much not having at other times."
If Christmas is the worst time for feeling lonely, then it is also the best time for finding an antidote for our loneliness, for in the simplicity of the first Christmas we remember that God has an answer for our deepest need.
Freddie Mercury, the late lead singer of the rock group Queen, once said, “You can have everything in the world and still be the loneliest man, and that is the most bitter type of loneliness. Success has brought me world idolisation and millions of pounds, but it’s prevented me from having the one thing we all need – a loving, ongoing relationship.” Now, Freddie Mercury was almost right but it’s not just any ongoing loving relationship that we need but a loving ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ, that’s what we were made for.
That’s why Christmas is such good news because Jesus enables us to know God. Christmas is the time when we remember that God did what we were unable to do. Because of our sin we were separated from God. Instead of knowing God we were strangers, even enemies of God. And there was no way for us back to God. So God came to us.
The birth of the baby Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem 2000 years ago was the first step in God breaking down the wall of sin that stands between us and God. Now, instead of being alienated from God, we can come to know him through Jesus. Because in sending his Son Jesus God managed to do two things at once - he dealt with sin and he brought us knowledge of God. That’s why Jesus was called Emmanuel - because he is God with us.
That’s the incredible thing about Christmas, it means that we don’t have to feel lonely and isolated from God, we can come to know him, because he came to us in Jesus Christ.
Mother Teresa really understood poverty and deprivation, yet she once said, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved." God's promise to each one of us at Christmas is that we don't have to face this world alone - God is with us, and he loves us. That's the gift that we celebrate on Christmas Day.
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