Thoughts that leave me at Jesus’s feet, and at the Cross

10 So now I am sending you to the king of Egypt. Go! Bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt!”
11 But Moses said to God, “I am not a great man! How can I go to the king and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?”
13 Moses said to God, “When I go to the Israelites, I will say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me to you.’ What if the people say, ‘What is his name?’ What should I tell them?”
4 Then Moses answered, “What if the people of Israel do not believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?”
10 But Moses said to the LORD, “Please, Lord, I have never been a skilled speaker. Even now, after talking to you, I cannot speak well. I speak slowly and can’t find the best words?    Exodus  3:10–11, 13, 4:1, 10  NCV

The songs of Advent, which we hear ever so often during these weeks, could perhaps become for us beacons of light that show us the way and make us lift up our eyes to acknowledge promises so much greater than those based on money, power, and pleasure. To be awake for God and for our neighbor—this is the meaning of the Advent call to stay awake. Such staying awake finds the light and makes the world a brighter place.

Awake, my soul! from sadness rise,
Come, see what in the manger lies:
Who is this smiling infant Child?—
’Tis little Jesus, sweet and mild.

Twice welcome, oh! Thou heavenly guest,
To save a world with sin distressed;
Com’st Thou in lowly guise for me?
What homage shall I give to Thee!

Verily it brings shame and disgrace upon the Church of Christ, when Christians,—Christ’s servants and followers,—neglect their duties so flagrantly and have no more a spirit of praise and thanksgiving in them; and, it is high time that every one who deserves correction shall permit himself to be sincerely corrected through God’s Word and Spirit.

Tomorrow starts the church season we call Advent. At some point, people will start asking why we aren’t singing Christmas Carols and why we keep singing O Come O come Emmanuel–as if Christ hasn’t yet been born! There is always an explanation, something akin to comparing Advent to their presents under the tree, and how they don’t unwrap them until Christmas Day. There is joy in anticipating what are in those packages, there is hope that it will finally be something special.

But as I look at Christmas this year, I realize I am not ready for it, any more than Moses was ready to lead a ragtag group of Jewish people to the Holy Land.

The people I see enslaved to sin are too numerous, the challenges to much for this aging, health-challenged pastor. I look at the church, as torn apart by sin and strife as the world, and wish with Loehe that the time of correction would occur. ( I hate to say it must include me.. and yet that is needed a well!)

I am not saying we have to be perfect to celebrate Christmas – just the opposite – we have to realize that the baby Mary gave birth and laid ni the manger is the only hope for our brokenness. He is the Creator/Guest who came to save us. THe darkness of this world,with empty promises of money, power and  pleasure–we have to have tired of them, and grown to despair the cruse they bring.

We have to cry out for hope… and cry out with the expectation it will be delivered in the presence of the one laid in the manger, and then on the tree to be nailed to it and lifted up….there to draw men into His death, that with HIm, they would rise as something new.

Advent is a time for this meditation – this time thinking of how much, how desperately we need for Jesus to come to us, where we are at, today.

I need this time, I need to experience the hope that brings light to despair.

For then, Christmas comes in a different way….in all of its power, in all of its brilliant glory…

for those trapped in darkness will see a great light… and then they will sing!

Joseph Ratzinger, Co-Workers of the Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year, ed. Irene Grassl, trans. Mary Frances McCarthy and Lothar Krauth (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1992), 379–380.

Martin Luther and John Hunt, The Spiritual Songs of Martin Luther: From the German, trans. Thomas Clark (London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co., 1853), 31.

William Lœhe, Seed-Grains of Prayer: A Manual for Evangelical Christians, trans. H. A. Weller (Chicago: Wartburg Publishing House, 1914), 42.