"He Came Down"

A"He Came Down"
On the first Sunday in Advent, we had the opportunity to hear the prophet and poet known as Isaiah speak a word of lament to God on behalf of his cohorts:

"O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence."

The people of Israel had finally returned home after experiencing an upsetting exile in a strange country. But back home things were not much better. There they were confronted by ruin, conflict and famine. Whatever comfort they received by reclaiming their homeland was offset by the multiple problems they faced in trying to return to normal living. And so their spokesman, Isaiah, calls God to account; to be the God who has brought deliverance in the past. Things haven't changed that much over the years since Isaiah spoke. Many in this world today and among us are still looking for someone to deliver them, to rescue them, to save them. They too would cry out, "O that you would tear open the heavens and come down."

We are now in the season of the church year when we celebrate God's response to this ancient and modern cry. We focus our attention on the message of Christmas which is God's acknowledgement of our cries for deliverance. We read and sing about our Lord's birth which for us is the fulfillment of God's promise to come down and be with us. We share this good news with each other and with our neighbors far and wide with our gifts of love. We realize anew that God came down that we may have love.

This thought is included in the first verse of a beautiful and inspiring Advent and Christmas hymn. "He came down.?"

May the words of this hymn bring us all closer to the promise that delivers us:

"He came down that we may have love; he came down that we may have love; he came down that we may have love; hallelujah forever more. He came down that we may have light… He came down that we may have peace… He came down that we may have joy… Hallelujah forevermore."

A Christmas Blessing to you all,

Pastor Tom