The Baby...Son of God

What Child is this who, laid to rest

On Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,

The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,

Come peasant, king to own Him;

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby.

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of God.

~William Dix

(I love the new ending of Molly Ijames' arrangment.

We're singing it in the Christmas service at church!)

Christmas Meditations, part 2

That is the beauty of Christmas. Jesus lived out the Father’s plan without deviation. “But [Jesus] made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:7-11, ESV).



I bow now, praising my Savior as Mary did: “And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, … for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation…He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever’” (from Luke 1, ESV).

Thou didst leave Thy throne

and Thy kingly crown,

When Thou camest to earth for me;

But in Bethlehem’s home

was there found no room

For Thy holy nativity.

Heaven’s arches rang

when the angels sang,

Proclaiming Thy royal degree;

But of lowly birth didst

Thou come to earth,

And in great humility.

Thou camest, O Lord,

with the living Word,

That should

set Thy people free;

But with mocking scorn

and with crown of thorn,

They bore Thee to Calvary.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

There is room

in my heart for Thee. 

~Emily Elliott

Christmas Meditations, part 1



my favorite tree ornament
(photo courtesy of my sister)

 Even though I’ve been doing some warm-weather reminiscing, this is the season I love.



Christmas. Winter. Twinkling lights. Cozy blankets. Hot chocolate. Wishing for snow. :)


Over the last few years, I’ve had less of an emphasis on the externals of Christmas—the tree lights, the decorations…Campus itself does decorate (one of my favorite things to do between Thanksgiving Break and Finals Week was to walk back to the dorms from the library at night and admire all the lights :) ), but I myself did not have the chance to decorate like that. (Okay, so there was the dorm-door decorating contest…but I was writing a 90-page script at the time. Enough said.) The Christmas-carols-and-decorations part of Christmas only lasted the week or so I was home before Christmas—and it made me stop and think, because even during those weeks between Thanksgiving Break and Finals Week, Christmas was in my heart and mind.


I’ve also had an increased emphasis on Easter…The Campus sunrise service—I’ll definitely miss that next year! Mom’s exclamations about our church’s Good Friday service as well as the Easter service—I’m definitely looking forward to being here this time! The everyday importance of the message of the cross.


Christmas and Easter are intertwined…Jesus was born to die. Without Easter, Christmas would not matter; and without Christmas, Easter would not have happened. Christmas happens so that the cross happens so that Easter morning happens.


I’ve been meditating on that a lot lately. Yes I’ve been excited to help put up the tree this year and decorate my room, and I smiled when a few snow flurries fell last week, and I love the fleece blanket I’m wrapped in, and I enjoy the nativity scenes we have set up all around…and it reminds me to be grateful.


Because—Jesus humbled Himself ~

~leaving heaven
~being born and living among sinful men
~discipling a dozen men who never comprehended His plan while He taught
~letting Himself be betrayed…denied…unfairly tried…beaten…hung on a cross.


Then He arose! And He patiently explained it all again to those disciples who eventually spread that message across the world.


Every day I shake my fist at God—I’m selfish, proud, full of complaining thoughts and attitudes—and yet I will never feel the wrath of God. I am a sinner; there is no righteousness in me; but I have personally accepted His sacrifice on the cross and now Jesus clothes me with His righteousness. He died so that I may truly live!

Hark! The herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies;

With th’angelic host proclaim,

“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Ris’n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die.

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,

Stamp Thine image in its place:

Second Adam from above,

Reinstate us in Thy love.

Let us Thee, though lost, regain,

Thee, the Life, the inner man:

O, to all Thyself impart,

Formed in each believing heart.

Hark! the herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King!”

~Charles Wesley

Reminiscing

~quote by Jacques Cousteau



Nearer, Still Nearer

Nearer, still nearer—nothing I bring.

Naught as an off’ring to Jesus my King.

Only my sinful now contrite heart:

Grant me the cleansing

Thy blood doth impart,

Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.

Nearer, still nearer—Lord, to be Thine.

Sin with its follies I gladly resign—

All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride:

Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified;

Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified.

~Lelia Morris

What is my

one desire?

I have Jesus,

and I am satisfied.

Thankfulness

Viewing life's blessings as water in a drinking cup, I know that I could discontentedly focus on the half of the cup that seems empty, or I could gratefully focus on the half that is full...


The Gospel reminds me first that what I actually deserve from God is a full cup churning with the torments of His wrath (Revelation 14:10 and Psalm 75:8). This is the cup that would be mine to drink if I were given what I deserve each day. With this understanding in mind, I see that to be handed a completely empty cup from God would be cause enough for infinite gratitude. If there were merely the tiniest drop of blessing contained in that otherwise empty cup, I should be blown away by the unbelievable kindness of God toward me. That God, in fact, as given me a cup that is full of "every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Psalm 116:12-13, Psalm 23:5, Ephesians 1:3), and this without the slightest admixture of wrath, leaves me truly dumbfounded with inexpressible joy.

~Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer for Christians:

Learning to See the Gories of God's Love;

pg. 47, "Thankfulness Enriched by Relief"

Happy Thanksgiving!

Silence

Silence is golden, so they say.

Sometimes, it doesn't seem so very golden.

Sometimes it is waiting...
                    wondering...
                        hoping...
                           praying...

But always it is God working.

*Joseph waited in the silence, knowing the cupbearer forgot him (Genesis 40:23).

*Hannah waited in silence, yearning for children (I Samuel 1:10).

*The disciples waited in silence, confused after Jesus' death (Mark 16:10).

*The intertestimental Jews waited in silence, longing for the Messiah to appear. "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son..." (Galatians 4:4). In the silence, God was working. He was preparing the way.

And because of the silence, the blessings were sweeter. Because of the silence, God's name was magnified and He was glorified!

Peter spoke of this, though in a different context. The truth, however, is applicable here. "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." God has plans for the waiting periods, for the silence.

Let Him work!