Song for the Second Sunday of Advent

“Comfort Ye”
by Daniel Renstrom

Comfort ye heavy laden , The Son of God has come

His kingdom shines with lavish mercy, For those who’s hearts are drawn

Those who dwell in darkness , See the light of Christ invades the night

Shining from His cross of anguish , His death brings many life

In Christ we know hope for the hurting

In Christ we know love for the lost

In Christ we know no other one can save

Comfort ye weary Christian , For just as Christ was raised

He will soon return to gather those, Who follow Him by faith

In Christ we know hope for the hurting

In Christ we know love for the lost

In Christ we know no other one can save

Immanuel

God with us

Son of God

Hallelujah

Immanuel

God with us

Son of God

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Tuesday Thoughts 12-01-09

Dust.  There’s always dust. There always seems to be grayish blanket collecting upon my things, though I faithfully wipe down bookshelves and picture frames.  It accuses me of distraction and reminds me of the passing of time.  Perhaps too many days pass without my notice.

It’s December now.  Gone are the images of pumpkins and leaves and harvest.  Long gone are picnics and watermelon and popsicles.  All eyes are turned to Christmas.  Fir trees fill living room windows.  Lights rim rooftops.  Ribbons hang from wreaths.  Gingerbread tempts the most resolved dieter.  Nativity scenes adorn Churches, front lawns and mantles.  Everything points toward December 25^th.

Advent seems to dust off some of the filthy corners of my heart.  Though I strive to preach the gospel to my own soul each day, I can forget how desperate life is without Jesus as the source.  Reading from the Gospels is a bit like dusting off a shelf: it all becomes clearer and much easier to see.  I remember my own years of darkness as I remember Israel’s years of desolation as they waited for salvation.

There was no joy: bitterness and rage and anger were my leading emotions.  If I wasn’t angry, I was paralyzed by fear.  I longed for great things and yet failed to conquer the smallest feats.  Selfishness so warped my soul that I was really unable to give or receive love.  And pride kept me alone.  I don’t doubt that – if left to myself- I could be capable of the most awful things.  Darkness.  Those years of separation are what come to mind when I hear the word, “hell.”

There He found me.  Brought me “out of darkness and into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)  Justified me by His blood, saved me from wrath and reconciled me to God.  (Romans 5: 9-11)  Made me clean, without blemish. (Colossians 1:22)  I could go and on and on.  Scripture after blessed Scripture comes to mind and testifies to all that He has done.  However, rather than become weary with the succession, my soul is stirred to life.  The dust can’t settle here.

My theme for 2009 has been “Hope.”  I’ve learned to wait in hope, to pray in hope, to practice obedience from hope, to desire obedience from hope and now in this season to praise in hope.  To praise from knowing a living hope. Christ’s first coming- His death and resurrection- define who I am.   And what I love.  And the security of my hope.  His promised second coming defines what I hope for…  but more on that later.

…remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  -Eph. 2:12-17

Hymn for the First Sunday of Advent

“Veiled in Darkness Judah Lay”
Words by Douglas L. Rights

Veiled in darkness Judah lay,
Waiting for the promised day,
While across the shadowy night
Streamed a flood of glorious light,
Heav’nly voices chanting then,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Still the earth in darkness lies.
Up from death’s dark vale arise
Voices of a world in grief,
Prayers of men who seek relief:
Now our darkness pierce again,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Light of light, we humbly pray,
Shine upon Thy world today;
Break the gloom of our dark night,
Fill our souls with love and light,
Send Thy blessèd Word again,
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

thanks to Him this morning

 

The sun streams through the window
And warms my face
I’m thankful for the light
I’m thankful for the Source of light
Who created and sustains the sun with His word
And is far more glorious that ten thousand suns

The taste of bread fills my mouth
And satisfies my stomach
I’m thankful for bread
I’m thankful for the Desire of Nations
Who fulfills every longing we know
And makes our need for food seem slight

My sister’s laugh echoes from another room
I can’t help smiling
I’m thankful for my family
I’m thankful for the Father
Who, though I lived as His enemy
Sought me and made me His own

Tuesday Thoughts 11-24-09

The front display in the local grocery store is draped with shades of burnt orange, golden yellow and rich brown.  The swirling font on a sign reading, “gather” makes me a bit nostalgic.  The smell of something pumpkin tempts me to hug the stranger staring at a stack of canned yams.  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and I’m not immune to advertising.

It’s incredible when you consider how we respond to color, shapes, scent and other aspects of our environment.  Most Americans were taught as children that we should appreciate the things we have alongside pictures of pilgrims and pumpkins and corn.  As an adult, whenever I see a pumpkin, that childhood memory prompts me to remember that I am blessed to have enough to eat.  Association and symbolism are powerful tools when training our minds.

In this season of celebration, there are a few ordinary objects that urge me to stop and consider my Lord.  There are two in particular that are the inspiration for my thankfulness this morning:

A full cup. Glancing at my morning tea reminds me that, being in Christ, I lack for nothing.  A prayer to “God, all sufficient” from The Valley of Vision reads,
“Accept his worthiness for my unworthiness,
his sinlessness for my transgression,
his purity for my uncleanness,
his sincerity for my guile,
his truth for my deceits,
his meekness for my pride,
his constancy for my backslidings,
his love for my enmity,
his fullness for my emptiness,
his faithfulness for my treachery,
his obedience for my lawlessness,
his glory for my shame,
his devotedness for my waywardness,
his holy life for my unchaste ways,
his righteousness for my dead works,
his death for my life.”

Violets on my night-stand. I read somewhere that blue violets symbolize faithfulness.  I was walking through the Lowe’s garden center after a chaotic day and when these little flowers caught my eye.  I picked one up as my mind waded through what I know about violets.  My first thought was that they’re really pretty when candied and placed atop cupcakes.  Then I remembered that they’re for faithfulness.  Tears came to my eyes as I remembered His faithfulness.  I bought the violets.  They’ve been a reminder of the Lord’s faithfulness as I awaken each morning.

Cups of tea, violets and pumpkins.  An unlikely way to celebrate but I am grateful for the reminders of who He is and how blessed I am.  I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of joy for His goodness and gratitude for His love!