“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.” As Christmas descends like a blanket on the layers of autumn leaves, the familiar words of Robert Frost’s beloved poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening find new meaning. At first glance, the connection between this poem and Christmas might seem to be a bit of a stretch. Yes, there are tinkling sleigh bells and falling snow, but the ominous closing lines–“but I have promises to keep, / and miles to go before I sleep, / and miles to go before I sleep”–appear contrary to the warm and cozy atmosphere that Christmas, in the modern cultural context, seeks to foster. These lines, however, which speak of obligation and continued travel, are the ones that tie most closely to Christmas. They raise a quiet yet insistent battle cry that cuts through the merry celebration, whispering to us that we have a race to run, and a long while before we reach the finish.
Christmas is the celebration of promise. It is both the consummation of an ancient trust, and the inauguration of a new confidence. It is surety that Christ has already won the battle, and a summons to fight alongside him. After our last sip of cocoa is drunk, and the last piece of wrapping paper falls to the ground, how do we face the 26th of December? Do we walk into it with an attitude of oblivious fuzzy feelings, or do we see the days ahead of us as a battle ready to be fought and conquered all with the joy of Christ? The mindset of the Christian after the Christmas festivities have been wrapped up should be one of intense joy and intense purpose. We should see a fight ahead of us, but the only way we can face this reality is with the knowledge of the birth of Christ that we just celebrated, and this knowledge cannot help but cause the greatest possible joy!
The battle cry nature of the season does not diminish the joy of Christmas, and does it imply that Christians should not celebrate. The arrival of the son of God should cause Christians to party, and to party hard. The Messiah has come, the one that we have been waiting for, and the one for whom all creation has been groaning. So light the tree. Bake the cookies. Turn on the music. Dig in. Raise your glasses. Toast to the King. Party like the mercy of God has come to earth in the flesh, and like your life depends on it. Party but do not become too comfortable. Revel in God’s grace, but do not let down your guard. As you sit around your Christmas table do not forget the fight that you are engaged in. Christmas signals the beginning to the end of the battle, but this does not mean that the fighting is over.
Therefore, take the joy that you have and use it, not towards empty and meaningless happiness, but rather towards an enduring battle fought under the banner of God’s mercy and grace in the form of a child. In singing praise to God on Christmas Day you are engaging in battle. In feasting with your friends and family you are engaging in battle. In lighting the Christ candle in the middle of your advent wreath you are engaging in battle. This battle is one that pushes back on the darkness that presses in at every moment, and seeks to dim your joy. Rest for a moment in the woods, admiring how truly lovely, dark and deep they are, and then keep your promises by moving forward in an attitude of determination and walk the miles ahead with faithfulness and great joy.
