Advent Day 4 - Longing

Psalm 79

8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities; 

  let your compassion come speedily to meet us, 

  for we are brought very low.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, 

  for the glory of your name; 

deliver us, and atone for our sins, 

  for your name's sake!

Psalm 80

1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, 

  you who lead Joseph like a flock. 

You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.

2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,  

  stir up your might 

  and come to save us!

3 Restore us, O God; 

  let your face shine, that we may be saved!

17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,

   the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!

18 Then we shall not turn back from you; 

  give us life, and we will call upon your name!

19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!

   Let your face shine, that we may be saved! 

Job 9

19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! 

   And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? 

20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; 

   if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

29 Since I am already found guilty, 

   why should I struggle in vain? 

30 Even if I washed myself with soap 

   and my hands with cleansing powder, 

31 you would plunge me into a slime pit 

   so that even my clothes would detest me.

 32 “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, 

   that we might confront each other in court. 

33 If only there were someone to mediate between us, 

   someone to bring us together, 

34 someone to remove God’s rod from me, 

   so that his terror would frighten me no more. 

35 Then I would speak up without fear of him, 

   but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

What I see in these Old Testament passages is that the reason they were so longing for something or someone to make them right with God is because they were able to recognize their true condition. They had sin. They needed atonement. They needed to be restored. And they were completely incapable of doing it themselves.

I can't help but smile when I read Job saying, "If only there were someone to mediate between us. . ." Ahhh! Just wait! He's coming! You'll see :) I'm like so ready for Christmas Day, right now!

Advent 2011 - Day 3 - Faithless People, Faithful God

Psalm 78

13He divided the sea and let them pass through it,

   and made the waters stand like a heap.

14 In the daytime he led them with a cloud,

   and all the night with a fiery light.

15He split rocks in the wilderness

   and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.

16He made streams come out of the rock

   and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

25Man ate of the bread of the angels;

   he sent them food in abundance.

26He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,

   and by his power he led out the south wind;

27he rained meat on them like dust,

   winged birds like the sand of the seas;

28he let them fall in the midst of their camp,

   all around their dwellings.

29And they ate and were well filled,

   for he gave them what they craved.

32In spite of all this, they still sinned;

    despite his wonders, they did not believe.

33So he made their days vanish like a breath,

   and their years in terror.

34When he killed them, they sought him;

   they repented and sought God earnestly.

35They remembered that God was their rock,

   the Most High God their redeemer.

36But they flattered him with their mouths;

   they lied to him with their tongues.

37Their heart was not steadfast toward him;

   they were not faithful to his covenant.

38Yet he, being compassionate,

    atoned for their iniquity

   and did not destroy them;

he restrained his anger often

   and did not stir up all his wrath.

39He remembered that they were but flesh,

    a wind that passes and comes not again.

40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness

   and grieved him in the desert!

68but he chose the tribe of Judah,

   Mount Zion, which he loves.

70He chose David his servant

   and took him from the sheepfolds;

71from following the nursing ewes he brought him

   to shepherd Jacob his people,

   Israel his inheritance.

72With upright heart he shepherded them

   and guided them with his skillful hand. 

God provides what his people need. He is faithful when we are faithless. We have from him not only undeserved favor but ill-deserved favor. Not only did we do nothing to deserve it, but we what we did do deserves the exact opposite.

Why does he do this? Because he is "the LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."

So what do we do with that?

Psalm 107

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD for he is good,

 for his steadfast love endures forever!

2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,

and burst their bonds apart.

15 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Advent 2011 - Day 2 - Why do we need a Messiah?

Isaiah 59

11We all growl like bears;

    we moan and moan like doves;

we hope for justice, but there is none;

   for salvation, but it is far from us.

12For our transgressions are multiplied before you,

   and our sins testify against us;

for our transgressions are with us,

   and we know our iniquities:

13transgressing, and denying the LORD,

   and turning back from following our God,

speaking oppression and revolt,

   conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.

14 Justice is turned back,

   and righteousness stands far away;

for truth has stumbled in the public squares,

   and uprightness cannot enter.

15Truth is lacking,

   and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

   The LORD saw it, and it displeased him

   that there was no justice.

16 He saw that there was no man,

   and wondered that there was no one to intercede;

then his own arm brought him salvation,

   and his righteousness upheld him.

20 "And a Redeemer will come to Zion,

   to those in Jacob who turn from transgression," declares the LORD.

 21"And as for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD: "My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring," says the LORD, "from this time forth and forevermore."

Advent 2011 - Day 1 - O Come Emmanuel

Isaiah 1:2-4

² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
   for the LORD has spoken:
"Children have I reared and brought up,
   but they have rebelled against me.
³The ox knows its owner,
   and the donkey its master’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
   my people do not understand."

 ⁴Alas, sinful nation,
   a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
   children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the LORD,
   they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
   they are utterly estranged.

Why do we celebrate Advent and the anticipation of Christ's arrival? Because Israel needed a Messiah. Badly. They recognized this on their better days. And in his promises to send one, God revealed himself. He promised to send One who would be Emmanuel, "God with us." Even though Israel had chosen to abandon God, God graciously chose to seek them out.

I can't wait for the Christmas season to come just so I can sing this hymn! Okay, maybe not "just" so I can sing this hymn, but it's probably in my top five reasons to look forward to Christmas :) Love. It. So, of course, I'm not going to wait any longer than I have to to bring it into my advent preparation :)

O Come O Come Emmanuel

" 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel' (which means, God with us)."

This hymn comes from a poem that dates back to the 8th century. A metrical version of five of the verses appeared in the 13th century.

Each of the five verses expounds upon one of the names for the Messiah:

v.1: "Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14, Mt 1:23) means "God with us"

v. 2: "Branch of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1) refers to Jesus' lineage

v. 3: "Oriens" (Malachi 4:2, Luke 1:78-79) is the morning star or daystar

v. 4: "Key of David" (Isaiah 22:22) again refers to Jesus' lineage

v. 5: "Adonai" (Exodus 19:16) is a name for God as Lord, giver of the law

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save, and give them victory over the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.  

O come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to Thee, O Israel!

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might! Who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times didst give the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to Thee, O Israel!