Stress Test

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.

-- Psalm 4:8

The holidays are idealized as special, fun-filled times with friends and family. The flip side, however, is that stress is also part of Christmas. And it can be more serious than a dinnertime disagreement with your in-laws. Stress is actually a life-and-death proposition that leads to cardiovascular disease, workplace injuries, sleep disturbances, ulcers and even cancer. In fact, the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine reports that health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who endure high levels of stress.

It's unfortunate that the Christmas season comes with such a hefty price tag. And we're not talking about those MasterCard and VISA bills that will arrive in January. Like the socks or sweaters

you might receive from an aunt or distant cousin, Christmas-related stress comes in a variety of colors and styles. It can be physical, emotional and financial. And not only can Christmas mean a strain on your bank account or an exhausting cross-country flight to your parents' house, December 25 can bring emotional turmoil when it's a reminder of a broken relationship or the death of a loved one.

The vibrant reds and greens of Christmas often seem deep blue for many hurting people. And that's when God enters the picture.

The Bible tells us that long before the world was formed, God knew our names. He knew when and where we would be born, what sort of lives we would lead, and when we would die. And he also knew that we would need someone to save us from the consequences of our many failures and shortcomings. So God decided to do it himself by personally living out the human experience on Earth through his Son, Jesus Christ.

By literally becoming God with us, Jesus truly understands the stress of Christmas (which, ironically, is meant to celebrate his birth). Leading up to that first Christmas when Jesus was born among a stable-full of less-than-spotless farm animals, Joseph and Mary -- his earthly parents -- were quite familiar with stress. They experienced emotional stress from the scandalous rumors swirling around Mary's pregnancy. They endured physical stress from the grueling trip to Bethlehem mandated by the Roman census. And with money in short supply, financial stress was abundant.

But because he personally experienced it all, Jesus really does understand our stress and sorrows, whether it's December 25 or any other day of the year. What's more, he's promised his followers -- that's you and me -- that he will never leave them or forget them. The holidays can be stressful, but it's through our Savior that we can always rest assured.