The Coming

The celebration of Advent has been a struggle for me in years past.

To wreath or not to wreath?  Which devotional should we use...or do we use one at all?  In the attempt to avoid legalism, we often miss out on tradition.

But this year has been different.

I did not say perfect.

But it has come together and my heart is becoming ready.

A candle is lit, and we sing.

Silent Night, Away in a Manger...little voices rise in imperfect harmony.  Mari stays one step behind as she is still learning these old, old songs.  We all smile, and Daddy picks up the devotional that just happened to arrive the day we lit the first candle.  Sent by a friend, who no doubt was prompted by the Lord to be sure we had it just in time.

Daddy reads, and I fall in love with him all over again.  Sometimes the younger ones get wiggly, distracted and  unwilling to sit. 

So he starts over.

The wiggling eventually becomes disobedience, but it is so important that they learn to sit and listen and try to grasp just a tiny shred of what Christmas means.

So he starts over again.

The wiggling stops.  Eyes are no longer glazed over but focused.  Sometimes a question surfaces, or a smile.  

They begin to grasp that tiny shred.

I pray I can grasp a tiny shred of Christmas.

A Child...God become man...a Savior who deserves the honor of a King, the glory and praises of Heaven, sets it all aside to be born into earthly poverty.

He willingly becomes the most helpless of beings and lies, whimpering, in filth and strips of linen as a feeble attempt to keep him warm.  

He becomes the scandal of the gossips, the focus of hatred, the one they are hunting when countless innocents are brutally murdered.

He grows and matures and loves his Mom and Dad...but is keenly aware of and in constant communication with his Father.  

Can I grasp this?  I don't know.  It causes me to sit and marvel at the purpose for which He came.  When did He know?  When did the Cross come into focus?  

He comes in humility.  

He comes in love.  

He comes in power.  

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Emmanuel...God with us.

Gather Round Ye Children Come
Words and music by Andrew Peterson

Gather ‘round, ye children, come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the pow’r of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man
Gather ‘round, remember now
How creation held its breath
How it let out a sigh
And it filled up the sky with the angels
Son of God, Son of Man

CHORUS

So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
Therefore God exalted him
To the place of highest praises
And he gave him a name above every name
That at the very name of Jesus, Son of God

CHORUS

We would sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
So in heav’n and earth and below
Every knee would bow and worship
And ev’ry tongue would proclaim
That Jesus, He reigns with the angels

CHORUS

So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
So gather ‘round, ye children come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man