Friday, December 17, 2021
Greetings, Dear Friends ~
I consider it a blessing to be able to share with people on (almost) a daily basis. Through the lives of others, I am able to observe, listen, and learn about how the Lord is moving in their (your) lives. Listening to the joys and sorrows of another believer’s (person’s) heart, their disappointments and victories, fears and courage offer a deeper level of understanding that does not come from reading about these things in a text book! Real life, true living, is sometimes bittersweet; the pendulum swings both ways.
We each are on our own personal journey—yet we share collectively in a way that can be immensely insightful and helpful for faith formation and spiritual growth. We are constantly seeking and growing—and are challenged to always come up higher!
Traditionally, one of the songs that we sing during the Advent season is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” For me, there is something so soothing, meditative, and hopeful about the words and the melody to this song. For example, consider the lyrics to the first verse and refrain:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Let’s ponder these questions:
Where, within you, do you desire the Lord to come?
Where, within you, do you desire the Lord to heal?
Where, within you, do you desire the Lord to dwell?
To those places, we say, “O come, O come, Emmanuel!
To every broken or misunderstood part of our beings, we invite Emmanuel to come.
To every longing of our hearts, we say, “Come.”
To every place that no one else could possibly understand, except the One, Who created us, we say, “Come.”
To every place we feel isolated, lonely, or in exile, we say, “Come.”
To every place we feel the joy of the Lord, we even say, “Come.”
The Lord, alone, is able to fill every void,
speak absolute truth, heal us where we hurt.
The Lord, alone, understands the depth of who we are.
The Lord, alone, knows our joy.
As we approach the day on our calendars, set aside to observe the birth of Jesus Christ, I pray we are able to rest in the blessed assurance that Emmanuel is with us!
May we receive and be light, and may That Light surround you now and always! As you go . . . please remember that this world is definitely a much better place because you are in it.
Until next time, My Friend,
Selah
O Come O Come into every empty place in my heart. Thank you for giving permission to ask God to come.