HOPE ???

Why?  

Why celebrate with such evil, such destruction all around us?   What's there to celebrate? 

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. 

When I celebrate, when I see Him, I realize I'm not just a speck of dust, an insignificant sod, or a guilt ridden failure. 

    When I see Him, I suddenly feel the immensity of my value. God- the one who made it all, loves me! He loves you! He came down and became one of us because of our immense worth.  He suffered, so that we would know He does care. 

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease. 

This God is not the author of evil, He is the author of love.  If I try to figure it out, I'm left with screaming pain. If I trust that He is one who cares, who loves, and enter into that comfort, I'm left with HOPE.

The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! 

He, God, actually cared so much that He was became weak and felt our need and saw our evil. He came to be our friend!!

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. 

And hope springs up. A  hope that defies life's circumstance. A hope that says, "Yes, there IS something more than this!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, 
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. 

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born; 

When I listen with my heart instead of my head, I fall, in gratitude and awe at the thought of that night!

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

And out of that HOPE, when I embrace Him, welcome Him, as the angels did that divine night,  in praise, JOY springs up.  A joy that defies the circumstances, that causes all other  forms of happiness  to be tinsel on a magnificent tree.  

  

May you, as I have, find the hope, comfort, peace and joy that is the message of this beautiful Christmas carol. 

Italicized words from "O Holy Night" song by Adolphe Adam

Come, Emmanuel, Come

Having written this in the morning, not knowing of the massacre happening in that Conneticut school, I have decided to dedicate it to all of those affected by this tragedy. Let's all pray for them...

Just thinking of losses and of all the loves that burden some of us this season.  And thinking of the heart of Christmas; the  world shaking event long before foretold, that brought Emmanuel, which means "God with us."

 Just thinking of the sky invaded by countless swarms of angelic beings the night that Jesus was born.
What would cause such an outpouring of heaven into earth's domain, but the answer to countless prayers, "Come, Emmanuel."

This song,  "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," has been going through my mind whenever I've had time to stop and meditate on God this season.  Although it's been a good season, and I'm in a relatively good place, I see and feel the pain of so many losses and struggles for myself and those around me.  The deaths, the cancers, the parents who with Alzheimer's, divorce, etc.

And when I think about the words to this song, I again feel the rising of hope, of a desire to live and to give out that hope to others.  And most of all to pass on the comfort  and peace that defy all hell's hell in our lives.  In it all, He is there.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  That's my prayer for you all.

I suggest you think in terms of Israel being, not just a place on the map-a war torn place on the map- but the name of all who long for a real encounter with a God who would not just be somewhere out there, but WITH US.  After all, don't so many of us feel war torn in so many ways?
   
Emmanuel, the One, the only One, who has defeated the Grave.
The one whose presence brings hope in despair, light in our darkness,
And peace.

I love you Dad, Rose Anne, Odee and John, Cathy and Mary Ann,  Helene and mi amiga, Nancy, and all my friends and family in each of your struggles.

I just copied the middle 3 verses. May they bless you as they have me.

"O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel."