All Is Well
Ok, let's be honest right from the get-go. 2020 has not been on many people's Top 10 list of favorite years. We can divulge into all the reasons it has been challenging, from COVID, canceled sports and concerts, quarantines, masks, and no toilet paper. I would be remiss not to mention murder hornets! Serenity now!
It’s crazy when you try to wrap your mind around it. The year 2020 punched many people right in the gut, and they still cannot catch their breath. We can laugh about some of it because it does start feeling like a bad joke at times. (Bad jokes and sarcasm, unfortunately, are a couple of my spiritual gifts.) However, I would not ever make light of the seriousness of some of the dire challenges. Many people experienced sickness, depression, loss, and even death. It would be easy to reflect on every single horrible thing and sink into an abyss of hopelessness. Sadly, many fall hard and struggle to find their way out of desperation.
What about you? How are you holding up?
When someone asks you how you are doing, a common answer is, "Alright." We all know what that means. Alright means satisfactory. Things could be better, and things could be worse. I'm ok, but not especially good. I suppose I’ll make it.
Often we are not good and don't know what else to say. There is a fine line in telling people if you are struggling (which can be a good thing) while not always dwelling on the negative (also a good thing). Have you ever thought about what the word “alright” appears to be? If one breaks it down in a literal sense, it would mean “all is right.” We know that is not how we use the expression, but how great it would be to say that and mean it.
How are you? I’m “ALL RIGHT!” As in, I’m beyond satisfactory. Not only am I going to make it, but I’m going to prosper and flourish like nobody’s business! Wouldn’t that be nice?
Consequently, we can say everything is all right this Christmas. All is well. And it is well because Jesus was born!
My favorite CCM Christmas song from my all-time favorite Christmas album is All is Well by Michael W. Smith, accompanied by the American Boys Choir, on his first holiday record in 1989. It still gives me chills. Tears of hope flow when I grasp the overwhelming truth of the light of Christ overcoming darkness.
All is well all is well
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of love's light
Sing Ale, Sing Alleluia
Consider the apostle John’s words in his gospel:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5)
“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:9-13)
John’s famous Christological narrative enlightens us to truths of peace in which we can find rest. All is well because the eternal Son of God came to earth the bring us hope. Darkness is no match for Him. All who receive Jesus are made whole. Anyone who believes in Him and entrusts their life into His hands is now His children. They experience rebirth, and nothing will change that glorious fact.
Can we really lift up our voices and sing, all is well? If we understand the grace of Christmas, we can. The things that matter most have been made right. Light overcomes darkness, and truth wins. God is on His throne. He bestows on us love and salvation, and it will ring out into eternity. If we place our trust in Christ, no bad year can erase what is most important and what gets us through the turmoil. Because of the message of the gospel, we are “All Right!”
All is well all is well
Lift up your voices and sing
Born is now Emmanuel
Born is our Lord and Savior
Sing Alleluia
Sing Alleluia
Indeed, All is well. Merry Christmas!
