Better than a Hallelujah

Myrrh...Now this really is a great gift for a child! 
"Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb."

That's the way the song goes, but imagine singing this to your child as a bed time lullaby.  What kind of dreams do you think that would bring about! 
"Sorrowing, signing, bleeding dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb."  Wow. 

It may not be a gift for a child, but it is a gift for a king.  It was a gift with lots of significance and foreshadowing for us as Christians.

We know now, that God just coming to earth in human form was not the end of the story.  We know that Jesus had to suffer and die for us to be free.  We know that Jesus conquered death by rising from the dead. 

However, imagine what Mary and Joseph must have thought when the gift of Myrrh was placed before Jesus.  I cannot imagine it was a very uplifting experience.  I have a feeling it probably put a damper on their day.

As we enter this holiday season, many of us are receiving "Myrrh" from other folks.  We are receiving things that are bringing us down, or experiencing things that are bringing us down.
It may be that one of your parents have lost a job and Christmas will just be different this year.
It may be that you have lost a job. 
It may be your first Christmas without a loved one.
It may be your first Christmas in a new town, where you just feel all alone.
It may be a Christmas where you are staring death in the face...either yourself or with a loved one.

Whatever it is, there is something for each of us that is not really "lifting us up" this Christmas season. 

However, even through our suffering, we can still worship God.

Even in the midst of your heartache and low point this holiday season, there is reason to worship God. 

My favorite bible verse is James 1:2-6
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

Consider it pure joy...I doubt may of us get excited when we face hard times.  I highly doubt any of us consider it "pure joy" when we face hard times. 
I also do not believe that God "gives us cancer" or "takes away our jobs/homes", etc.  But I do believe that God is just waiting for us to come to Him for wisdom and guidance on how to handle tough situations.  I believe God is just waiting to comfort us.  I love the part in James where it says "God, who gives generously to all without finding fault."  Even if you have been doubting God or questioning God.  God is still ready to give generously.
Even if you have just not really been paying attention to God, God is still waiting to give generously.
Even if you have blamed God for your hard time, God is just waiting to give generously.

Myrrh is not a great gift to get.  Being reminded of our mortality, being reminding of our troubles, is never a "feel good" gift.  However, we can turn our struggles into worship.  We can turn to God in these times and just simply say "I need you." 

There is a song that came out recently that I just love the lyrics to.  Amy Grant's "Better than a Hallelujah" is a beautiful song, but I think the message in the lyrics are even better.

God loves a lullaby, In a mothers tears in the dead of night, Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
God loves a drunkards cry, The soldiers plea not to let him die, Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

The woman holding on for life, The dying man giving up the fight, Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
The tears of shame for what's been done, The silence when the words won't come, Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing, Better than a choir singing out,singing out.

We pour out our miseries God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah


I love the lyrics to this song.  I love the message.

If Myrrh is the gift you seem to be focused on the most this Christmas, give it over to God. 
I do believe that it will be "Better than a Hallelujah" to God.