Comfort and Joy

Every year, our family reads a devotional book called Christ in the Carols. It is such a blessing to read our beloved Christmas tunes with fresh eyes and cause us to consider the words that we re singing. They are typically doctrinally rich and worthy of a deeper treatment than is often available when we sing them.

I go on Christmas Carol kicks. I find one that resonates with me and that's the one that I play most. And then I will scout around for all the variations of the song I can find. Which is why I own eleven versions of O Come All Ye Faithful (last year's favorite). This year, my carol is Veni, Veni Emanuel. I'm up to five versions of it. And it brings me to tears-not that this is a big surprise to anyone that knows me. It automatically sends me to places where the scriptures promise that HE would come. And not only would He come, but He would to choose to come in the meekest estate, and know pain and poverty.
C.S. lewis put it this way:

"The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this. . . .

In the Christian story God descends to re-ascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity . . . down to the very roots and sea-bed of the Nature He has created.But He goes down to come up again and bring the ruined world up with Him."  

(from: Miracles)

"Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."
Is. 35:4