December 2016
The season is upon us: Christmas. It almost seems to be a year round event now. Black Friday sales begin the first of November. Hallmark Ornaments are revealed in July. And I don’t know about you, but I listen to Christmas music all year long. As I consider Christmas music, there are a couple obscure phrases in two Christmas songs that I love, and I have pondered for a couple years now (You like that word “pondered”, it is a good Christmas word, isn’t it). A few years back I purchased David Phelps Christmas CD. This was back in his original days with the Gaither Vocal Band, at least 2 hair styles ago. Before I share these lyrics with you, let me ask you, have you ever considered Christmas from Heaven’s perspective? Specifically, have you considered it from God the Father’s perspective?
In the song “Joy, Joy” there is a lyric, that if you don’t listen close you will miss it. The first verse says, “Then God called to Gabriel with gladness and tears…” Wait a second….tears? I thought there were no tears in Heaven. Consider this as a parent. I have a 20 year old son, a junior in college. In August we moved him 45 minutes away from us. I must be honest, I have some real concern for him as a father. Will he be safe? What if there is an accident? I am not there to be able to immediately respond. I am not there every night to make sure he eats and finishes his homework. It was hard letting him go, though I knew it was just for the school year. Now consider God the Father, as He is sending His only Son, His only Beloved Son, down to a sinful world, where humanity is cruel and mean. Not only is He sending Him down, He is sending Him down for one purpose….To die!!!! “For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son…” I don’t know that the lyric is accurate, but I sure can understand it! The gladness that God is reaching down to you and I, but also the tears that it come at the expense of His Son.
Then, the second lyric is found in David Phelps song “Tonight”. Again, a line that is not one you would quickly pick out, but it struck me hard…. “Yahwah God come to where we are”. Wow…..the Father sending His Son for you and me! Heaven must have missed Jesus! The angels, the elders, the living creatures around the Throne Room….Suddenly Jesus is not there. He was all that they had known. I wonder, was Heaven dark while Jesus was here on Earth. We are told in Revelation that there is no sun in Heaven because Jesus is the Light of that city. But Yahwah, the personal, relational, covenant God coming to Earth and meeting us right where we are. Immanuel, God with us! “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us….” A baby born in a manger, and 33 years later on a Cross, who died so you and I can have a personal, covenant relationship with the God who sent Him to die! He will come to where you are. He will come in your depression, He will come in your addiction, He will come into your struggling marriage, He will come into your finances, He will come into your sickness, He will come into your sorrows and storms.
I know Heaven must have missed Him while He was away. But, today, He is sitting at the right hand of the Father. Heaven can once again sing His praises. The Father has His Son by His side because Jesus finished His assignment. The penalty for man’s sins has been paid, and the curse of death has been defeated. The only thing different in Heaven now, then before, are the scars in the hands and feet of Jesus.
Merry Christmas to you all, and I pray each of you will experience Yahwah who has come down to where you are!
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