O Come, Let Us Adore Him!

Christmas can be a schizophrenic time for a griever. On the one hand, the reality of God coming for us can be so meaningful. On the other hand, it is often a time for vacant places to be highlighted or strained relationships to be exacerbated.

This month in my family, there has been a death, several wounds, and sad vacancies leading me to ask the question, "What is the point? Christmas is painful."

By God's grace, I arose from my "poor-me" few weeks, and put on a Christmas CD. One of the first songs on it was "O Come, All Ye Faithful". It was so perfectly timely. What a fantastic reminder that Christmas is not about family and fun, as wonderful as those things can be. It is not about vacancies. It is not about our mother or father or cousin or sister or husband or children. It is about God.

God came! When we sought him not, God came! When we cared not, God came! When coming meant death, God came! When His coming was meek and unnoticeable, God came!

Can we spend one moment, leaving our own self-pity and relational wishes to adore our Lord? Or, shall we mope in the unknown of delayed and/or strained human relationships? Can we honor and trust our God who, for us, sacrificed everything and demonstrated an abundant plan of loving pursuit for us? Or, will we spit at this gift wishing instead His plan involved a quicker resolution of its minor characters?

O COME! Let us adore him! Let us come despite relational losses. Let us come despite our deficiencies because in HIS coming, he provided the way for us "to approach [his] throne of grace with confidence. (Hebrews 4)"

Prayer
O Lord, shift our perspective to you! Thank you for coming to save us. Life can be oppressive at times, but help us enter your sanctuary for true rest (Psalm 73). Thank you for being both our rock to turn to and our aid in turning. You truly are our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9)!

Because of you, O Lord, we adore you! Because of you, O Lord, we praise you! We come, O Lord, to praise you... CHRIST THE LORD!

An Anniversary Moment

'Twas dark as weary traveler descended down the path...
The path that once held visions of light now a murky, foggy bath.

Forsaken and abandoned... forgotten, abused, forlorn...
Pushed and lectured, preached and prodded, not heard... just merely scorned.

By past rejected and present worked ... requiring more than could
This weary traveler drags a foot to unknown rest for soul.

O Lord our God, You see through fog; would you oasis make?
With lack of resource yet needs galore, i trudge for Jesus' sake.

Discouraged with my progress, saddened by my loss,
Frustrated with the prodding, distraught by heavy cross.

But here along this journey, though i have but only you,
Tis more than all sufficient, for me your plan to do.

Bring sustaining comfort to complete another day
So different from my ideal visions and others' for my way.

Though shame around me rages from without and from within...
Give me the graceful confidence to walk in Jesus' win.

In this quiet moment, grant me peace to calm the storm
I cling to you, my Savior... no mirage... but real in form!

Veterans Day 2009

The Yellow Ribbon by JR for S, J, H and their dear families that stand by their sides

Though no one in my home be found in military shroud,
A yellow ribbon did adorn my tree on my front ground.

And, wind and weather did abuse this display I'd made.
Time took its toll as dirt and grime grew steadily in its shade.

The months flew past for me but yet my ribbon showed great wear.
My months well-sheltered did not show the scars my ribbon did bear.

The day arrived, the soldier returned and the ribbon brought inside.
Now what to do with this battered display? Its weathering was its pride.

O, soldier, you are here now ... weary in unknown ways.
You bear a toil and with great cost, our safety you have paid.

Thank you for fighting bravely ... enduring untold weights.
Your sacrificial labor is honored more than we can state.

--
Thank you!! With much love and thankfulness, JR