He came that you who is with sin will be washed clean…
He came that you who is but a far lost sheep will be found…
He came that you who is burdened with this hard season will find that one thing that you cannot buy…
He came that you who is not rejoicing will have yet another reason to rejoice…
He came that you who is suffering would further understand your suffering…
He came that you who is unaware of the love of your Father had for you all along…
He came that you who is without direction would be able to go…
He came…
Forever more, so long as Jesus is a threat to anyone’s evil power, we will be lamenting over those who have died because they believed in the Gospel. Last I checked, there are still those who die a martyr’s death…
My King who never ceases to embrace me in my suffering…
May You forever remind those around us all that suffering is inevitable…joy in suffering is available…and Your love is unbelievable…
The words I hear…
The things I say…
The songs I sing…
…why no action?
Why am I able to hear the words spoken to me in sermons and walk out only to find that nothing has changed?
Why do I know the answers to all problems handed to me and yet I can’t write down my thoughts into well written and expressed understandings of what I say?
Why do I sing the songs I sing with words that speak of things that are beyond anything that I’ve ever done or really intend to do when the singing is done?
Who am I, O God, but a living, breathing hypocrite…
…and yet, as I walk along the unclear road of repentance, there are times like these that the whispers spoken in my ear, from the One who has sent thunderous messages before, are more like a strong embrace that won’t let me go until I know my real name…
Clouds move along as they do
As I lift songs to You
O how I, how I do
Lift these soul songs to You
Christmas is a joyful time of year…but it depends on your definition of joy…
Joy…
the merciless killing of children under three as a result of King Herod’s search for the baby Jesus
the pain and suffering of Mary who was to carry the burden of a child who would be the beginning of God’s manifestation of living out human suffering
the interpretation of the prophetic by the wise men and the path they took to investigate
the long dangerous journey that Mary and Joseph had to take to get to Bethlehem
the fear of Mary being stoned to death due to her being pregnant without Joseph
the inadequate last minute option of locale for the birth so high a King
…joy…
the presence and protection of the angels
the shepherds who were afraid for their lives and then had no reason to fear
the humility of the magi presenting gifts without regard to themselves
the unadulterated obedience to the voice of God
the future ahead for this babe who will live to die to save
the love and trust that it must have taken for all of this to transpire
…
If this is what joy is meant to be, then I want to be a part of that joy.
I grant that you experience this joy during your Christmas time…
