He shall reign for ever and ever

I went to the library today, and in a flash of inspiration, looked to see if Handel’s Messiah was available on CD. Happily, it was, so now I am listening to it and the Christmas season has officially started.

Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.

Someone wrote to me the other day, and said they were praying that I would not be especially homesick at this time of the year. God has heard their prayer—I have been feeling wonderfully and happily “Christmasy” for a long time now, and not homesick; just full of joy.

Rejoice greatly, oh Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, thy king cometh unto thee.

Maybe it started back in November, when I spent a weekend with other Americans and we sang Christmas carols trundling down the mountain in the dark, with the lights of the city spread out before us. I was struck more than ever by the internationalism of Christ’s mission. “Joy to the world! Let earth receive her king! He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love!”

For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Through the end of November, I was impressed with the necessity of waiting on God. “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will act.” Isn’t this, too, what Christmas is about? About waiting, trusting. Then—God acting!

Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: yet once a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desire of the nations shall come.

When I went to St. John of Lateran’s cathedral and St. Peter’s in Rome, I was overwhelmed with sadness. They looked as if each pope had tried to outdo the one who came before him in expensive reminders of themselves to leave to posterity. How different from the One who “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing.”

Come unto him all ye that labour, that are heavy laden, and he will give you rest. Take his yoke upon you, and learn of him, for he is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

I decorated my apartment Monday (in about 30 seconds). I have a tree (about 6 inches high—almost as big as the star on top), a stocking, candles—and lights!

Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen above thee.

The city is decorated too—lights over every street in the center. It gets dark before 5 o’clock (yes, we are pretty far north!), so when I walked home from the library this evening, they were shining forth bright and cheery through the rain and darkness.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

I hadn’t realized how “Christmasy” I was feeling until I went to lunch with some believers recently. I forgot that some of the believers here don’t celebrate Christmas, and politely inquired as to their plans for the holiday. In return, I received a lecture on the facts that we don’t know when Christ was born, God having hidden that time, because for us what is important is his resurrection. I agreed that without the death and resurrection of Christ his birth wouldn’t be important—but since we do have those, I like to celebrate it because it is a reminder of the fulfillment of God’s promises.

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

One acquaintance recently said to me, “I can’t bring myself to believe in the idea of a divine entity…”

He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering.

Another looked at me with the eyes of someone suffering loneliness, despair, depression, more sad than ever at Christmas, more sad in hearing of my joy in the season and not accepting it.

Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto his sorrow.

I said to someone recently that God gives us salvation, freely, as a gift. “But we have to be worthy of it,” she said.

Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes we are healed.

And I marvel at the grace, the patience, the mercy of this God and this love that he has shown us.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by his blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.

Hallelujah.