For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39
In A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens described the character, Ebeneezer Scrooge, this way:
“The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him.”
Ebeneezer Scrooge was cold from within. We don’t know for certain why he was characterized this way, although Dickens suggested that he had a difficult childhood, and was scorned by the woman he loved. Both are certainly things that could make a person seem cold.
We’ve all likely known a real-life Scrooge; someone who concentrates on the adverse, is quick to criticize others, a “glass half empty” type. Maybe it’s one of your relatives; the one who never wants to do anything fun, who is unhappy with the menu, who loves talking about other relatives behind their backs, or just drains the fun from every family gathering. It might be someone who lives with you; a spouse or child who finds the negative in everything. Perhaps it’s a friend who always shares their problems and never seems to be happy. Or maybe it’s you!
In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge has life-changing encounters with three ghosts, and his former partner, Jacob Marley, which change his life. Through these messengers, Scrooge’s cold insides began to melt, and he was forever changed.
As a young adult, I struggled with knowing whether God really did love me unconditionally. I’m pretty sure I shared some of Scrooge’s tendencies. However, I experienced a life-changing “thaw” when I internalized how much I am truly loved and accepted by God. Looking back on those years, I’m immensely sad that I waited so long to acknowledge the warmth and beauty of God’s mercy and grace.
Life is difficult! Perhaps you’ve been hurt by others, or you’ve made poor choices. Are you carrying around a coldness from within? Allow this to soak in: no matter what, God loves you and He wants you to be freed to joyfully serve Him. Accept His unconditional mercy and grace and you, too, can warm up from the inside out.
Susan Meharg, Assistant to Executive Pastors
