When every earthly prop gives way,

"When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay."
("My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" by Edward Mote)

My Hope - Matt Redman

This picture is from a forest trail in Washington State. From this viewpoint, the mountain across the way was not clearly visible and the path below as we found later was not one that we could complete. The fog later cleared and we took an alternate trail. What does this have to do with Christmas and consolation. We need others to help us see the way at times and when all earthly hope and props give way we have the Christmas story-

These words got me thinking last week concerning -consolation- it is hard to think that at one time this word wouldn't have been needed.
 " ...since the time of his perfection in Eden. Adam could scarce have understood the word consolation, for the simple reason that he did not understand in Eden the meaning of the word sorrow. O how has our language been swollen through the floods of our griefs and tribulations!

 Today, even during the holiday season, we experience hard times and perplexing circumstances.

This is from Charles Spurgeon’s sermon on Consolation in Christ-
Consolation in Christ - CHS Sermon 348

"the consolations of Christ, from the fact of his unchanging nature, are unfailing."
All the other windows are darkened; but the sun shines in at the oriel window of redemption. All the other doors are shut; but this great door of hope and joy still stands wide open. All other wells are dry; but this flows with an unceasing stream. Brothers and sisters, when all things else depart, an unchanging Christ shall be your unchanging joy."
“Furthermore, the consolations of Christ are all powerful consolations. When a poor soul is so deep in the mire that you cannot lift it with the lever of eloquence, nor draw it up with the hands of sympathy, nor raise it with wings of hope, he can touch it with his finger and it can spring up from the mire, and put his feet upon a rock, and feel the new song in its mouth and its goings well established. There is no form of melancholy which will not yield before the grace of God; there is no shape of distress which will not give way before the divine energy of the Holy Ghost the Comforter, when he uses Christ as the consolation.

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him." Ps 62:5