In the Upper Midwest, saying “goodbye” takes forever! So often, we stand in the doorway (even if it’s 20 below zero) for an extra 20 minutes just saying goodbye. We sob goodbye to our first time college student in the fall. We hesitantly say goodbye to the soldier, hoping we’ll see them again, soon. To the youngest child driving back into the wild, “big-city,” it’s a wave goodbye. Every time we say goodbye there seems to be a tug on the heart. A faint voice in our minds whispers, “Is this the last time we’ll see them?”
A good friend used to say, “This is not goodbye, it’s see-you-later!” That’s easier to say than to believe. Too many Christmas goodbyes have that ring of hope, even joyful expectations of seeing them again. “We’ll see you later. See you next Christmas!” we say, but our minds are saying goodbye, and our hearts are sad at the person’s leaving.
Goodbyes at Christmas are probably the hardest. Sadly, some of our dearest family members, or best friends, no longer grace the doorway. We’ve had to say the final goodbye to them. Goodbye is so permanent, so cold, so concrete. Why do things have to end? Why does saying goodbye have to be so hard?
Did you know that God never says goodbye? Oh sure, to the wicked and evil ones, His judgment is a form of finality, it’s a heartbreaking permanent concept of goodbye. Jesus even said, “... and you will die in your sin.” (John 8:21) But the message of the Bible is not primarily about goodbye. It’s about a hearty hello, welcome. It’s about Good News for those who will trust in Jesus’ life, work, death and resurrection. Goodbyes are transformed into permanent promises of God saying, “I am with you always. To the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Or it’s the ultra-comforting promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Even the Old Testament says about God, “I have never seen the righteous forsake by God” (Psalms 37:25). This is such an important truth it was one of the last things Jesus said to his disciples (Matthew 28:20). The evidence of this promise, after Jesus returns to his Father’s side, is that the hearts of his people are filled with the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26;15:26;16:7) It’s the Spirit’s work in us, giving us hope and assurance of God’s love (John 16:7-15). It’s not goodbye.
With Jesus it’s never “goodbye,” but more like, “I’m still here, you just won’t always notice me in the same way as before.” That’s the way of Christmas, we don’t have the infant child, or even the adult Jesus, but his Spirit is here. His grace and love are here. It’s never truly about goodbye or even, see you later! The Spirit of Christ is always with those who trust in Jesus assuring them of his steadfast love (Ephesians 1:11-14). For them, there are no permanent goodbyes, God is “always with us. To the end of the age.”
People say goodbye, God says “I’ll never leave you.”
— Rod Rindahl is pastor at Harvest Community Church in Litchfield.
