Waiting for Joy

|| O come o come Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appears ||

A nation in exile.

A nation in exile again and again and again.

A nation waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting.

A nation losing hope.

Until hope appears.

*~*~*~*~*~*

I love Christmas. I love the entire season, as it eases in from the beginning of November, growing up until Boxing Day. To me, it really is the most wonderful time of the year.

I love the music and the traditions and the cheesy Hallmark movies. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of the shopping. I like being at home, or at parties with my friends, looking at Christmas lights inside and out, listening to Michael Bublé and drinking hot chocolate. It's just so wonderful and lovely and joyful.

Because that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

It started with a promise of hope glimmering in the darkness.

That glimmer rose and fell. Hope seemed to come and go to the nation of Israel. God's chosen people turned away and turned back time and time again.

It turned into a steady pace of waiting.

Waiting for things to change, to get better, to finally get this one right, waiting for joy.

And so one day, the Savior Israel had been hoping for, the King the world needed, Emmanuel, was born to a young girl. Born in an unsanitary cave behind a full inn in an overcrowded city. Born to the most unusual greeting ever.

Hope was born when no one was looking.

Joy arrived when everyone was ready to give up.

The Savior of the world came when the time was right.

So when you wonder why now? Why not now? Why haven't You showed up yet?

Hold onto hope.

Hold onto joy.

*~*~*~*~*~*

A nation waits for joy to come.

The greatest joy arrives.

A captive people wait no more.

Freedom, small and crying, enters.

Not with flashing lights and arrows.

A baby. The greatest destiny.

The greatest joy.

|| Rejoice 
Rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee
oh Israel ||