O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
“O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
And drive away the shades of night,
And pierce the clouds and bring us light!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee…”
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will REJOICE and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will REJOICE greatly and shout for joy.
And, a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting JOY will crown their heads. Gladness and JOY will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Isaiah 35:1-2a, 8,9 emphasis mine)
One of my favorite Christmas carols is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. Everything about it speaks of the splendor and majesty of the Lord in a way that penetrates the very depths of my heart.
Now, the word “Rejoice!” in the chorus really is a powerful declaration, decree, to our hearts and souls during these days of turmoil. For many, these are dark days of struggle, and it seems that all the lights, decorations, parties and gatherings, gift buying and giving only serve to heighten the sense of discouragement. It’s not easy to celebrate when you’ve lost your job or your home. Not easy to enjoy the ‘holidays’ when it’s really hard just to find food for your family.
But, there IS HOPE. Out of the cry lifted in the words of that great carol–“O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer….! –is hope for the hopeless, joy for those bowed down under the weight of their burdens.
And, I am lead to Isaiah 35. This is what the Lord says:
“I know your burdens. I see your struggles in the parched land. I have heard your cries in the wilderness. I AM coming swiftly to you, My children.”
“I AM, even now, piercing the clouds with the Light of My Glory; shattering the darkness of your days with My Light. I AM coming swiftly, My children, and you will be lifted up in My Presence and you will once again REJOICE.”
The Lord says, “For, I AM setting you feet upon a new path. The old is gone, the new has come. It is the time of MY ADVENT; for, I AM EMMANUEL, I AM GOD WHO IS WITH YOU.”
“The old path, so twisted and hard, is gone. I say to you again, the old, hard way is gone; for, your hard labor is over.” Says the Lord.
“There is a new WAY for you. I AM that WAY. I AM both your Way Maker and Your Way. I AM both the One who makes straight the Way of Holiness, and the Vehicle in which you travel the Way. Do you understand?”
“Come INTO ME. I AM EMMANUEL. I AM not only WITH you; but, IN you. I fill you with My Fullness. I AM not only in you; but, you are IN ME. I AM your Way,” says the Lord. “Therefore, come INTO ME, and you will begin to taste and see My Goodness.”
“In the days ahead, soon and very soon, you will see what was barren BURST INTO BLOOM. All your past labors, your past struggles, will seem like far distant memories. They will fade away as the night fades with the coming of the Day.”
“For My Way is the Way of Holiness. And, on this Way there is no lack. It is a PROSPEROUS WAY, and ABUNDANT WAY. It is the Way of WHOLENESS. It is the Way of HEALING. It cannot be any other way, My children, for I AM with you.”
“Even now,” says the Lord, “your enemies are being destroyed. The lion, the ferocious beast, the wickedness of the dark places—all is being destroyed. You will look; but, you will not find them on the Way I have made for you. But, you will only see MY DELIVERANCE, and you will once again REJOICE. You will look to the right and to the left and you will see the destruction of your enemies, and you will REJOICE. For, no weapon, no voice, no scheme of darkness shall come near you. For, you are on MY WAY–I AM with you.”
“Therefore, My children, say to your soul, ‘REJOICE! REJOICE!’ FOR EMMANUEL HAS COME! And, as you do, as you command your soul to praise My Name, you will be lifted up. You will be lifted up on the Wings of Praise. Your feet will be lifted up from the dry and desolate places and set upon the Way of Holiness. And, you will truly begin to Taste and See My Goodness, My Glory,” says the Lord.