O Come, All Ye Faithful

Bad news never takes a holiday. Illness and loss never celebrate Christmas by taking a break.  Darkness doesn't just lift because we are celebrating the entrance of the Light into our world.  Somewhere out there among the flashing lights, brightly decorated Christmas trees, and holiday yard decorations, cancer is ravaging a child.  Somewhere a family is exchanging gifts while mourning a loved one who has passed away.  Depravity hasn't settled in for a long winter's nap.  It's thriving in the human heart and let loose in the world.

One of the reasons that Christmas still has such a grip on our culture, even as many within the culture are abandoning orthodox Christianity, is that Christmas celebrates the hope that this cursed life will soon be put right.  Christmas celebrates the coming of the one Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ our Lord.  The birth of Christ signals God's willingness to rescue this fallen creation.  He was not only willing to rescue his creation, he did so with a tremendous price.

The message of Christmas calls us to hope.  It comforts us with the reality that our Redeemer has walked a mile (and more) in our shoes.  It encourages us to cling to him for mercy, because he understands the demands of human existence and the power of temptation, although he never sinned.  He is there waiting for us, scanning the horizon for the first sign of our return.  He is ready to embrace us, if we will only come to him.  Our coming is a march of victory, a victory won by Christ Jesus himself.

This brings me to the Christmas hymn I want to share, "O Come, All Ye Faithful."  I love this hymn, because it expresses such joyous worship of the Christ-child.  As we remember the birth of our Savior, we must also remember that his life, death, resurrection, and ascension are all inseparable from the story.  He was not just a baby born in a stable, and placed in a manger.  He was, and remains, Immanuel.  He was, and remains, the Lord of Glory.  The hymn, "O Come, All Ye Faithful," expresses the proper response to the birth of Christ.  Our response should be one of humble submission and joyful adoration.  Here are the words:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold him,
Born the King of angels.

Chorus
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
O sin, all ye bright hosts of heav'n above!
Glory to God,
All glory in the highest! (Chorus)

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv'n;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing! (Chorus)

Let us approach the celebration of Christ's birth with a renewed adoration for the Lord and a renewed desire to serve him. Come, let us adore him, for he is worthy of all our devotion.  No matter how dark our situation seems, we must always remember, but especially at Christmas, that the Light of the world has dawned on us.  Christ has come into the world and is working all things to the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes. He first coming guarantees that he will come again, and when he does he will make all things new.