25 Thoughts on “A Christmas Carol” – December 10th

Happy Christmas Dear Readers,

“'You are fettered,' said Scrooge, trembling. ‘Tell me why?'

'I wear the chain I forged in life,' replied the Ghost. 'I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is irs pattern strange to you?'

Scrooge trembled more and more.

'Or would you know,' pursued the Ghost, 'the weight and length of the strong coil you bear yourself? It was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. You have laboured on it, since. It is a ponderous chain!'”

Ultimately, the burdens we carry through life and retain in death are of our own choosing. We are bitter because we choose to be. We divorce our spouses because we are hard hearted and refuse to believe that God will honor us if we keep our vows. We lie because we fear the truth or seek gain through our deception. We are greedy because we do not believe that Christ will truly provide for us.

If we centered that which we forge in our lives upon Christ then our burdens would evaporate. What chains do we forge unseen upon our hearts and our spirits? What burdens do we carry that could be set aside were we to just lay them at Christ’s feet? I would know the “weight and length of the strong coil” I bear but I fear it would kill me. Instead I focus on forging a chain that is fettered to the gospel. I seek to make links of kindness, love, and grace to which I fastened myself when I accepted Christ and his cross.

I fail at this and sometimes forge chains that are ones I would rather not bear. Oh that it were so easy to see when we add to and take away from out burdens. Since it is not we can only assure that we lighten our load by fixing out hearts and hopes upon Christ and following him in every moment.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."