He Has Come

Here are some Christmas thoughts I've been pondering over the last month.


My Bible study this last semester has been studying 1 and 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Old Testament. We finished up last week in a very sad place. The people of Israel had rejected God as their one true God. They either treated him as just one of the other gods or despised Him completely in their idol worship. 

The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. 2 Chronicles 36: 15, 16

There was no remedy for these stubborn- hearted people. God had tried through prophets, messengers, even bringing kings against them as a wake up call. But they didn't listen. And so He took them into exile, into captivity. 

The Christmas carol I singled out this year is "O Come O Come, Immanuel". This Latin hymn was written in the 600's. Besides the beautiful melody, the first stanza really resonated with me.

O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel. 

That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

I think the hymn voices the sentiment of those who, in captivity, finally realized their need for a Saviour. It voices my need for my Saviour. As I drawer nearer to Him, my short-comings become more and more apparent. My immediate reaction is "to-do". I need to eradicate the sin out of my life. I need to be more like Him. I need to be perfect. My expectations for myself are so high. I have take myself captive in my pursuit to be worthy of Him. 

Christmas. The birth of Jesus. The remedy. He shall be called Immanuel. God with us. He has come. 

Jesus came not only to save Israel, but the whole world. I'm not perfect. I'm never gonna be perfect. And in my pursuit, I've lost the point of His coming. But He has come to bring hope.  No more captivity. And it is free. This love..

David Crowder sings, "I don't know what to do with a love like this." I don't know either. If I make it a "to-do" then I've lost it again. So I will sit in awe, silence, struggling, surrendering over and over to this love, to His coming. To let it flood over me, fill me.

That is reason to worship. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! He Has Come!