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. 1
‘Tis the day after!
I hope your Christmas celebration was joyful and blessed, but I know some struggle through the season and the aftermath. Whatever your experience, cherish the beauty and good, and don’t let the afterward let-down get you down.
Like the children of Israel, we are in exile. Our exile in the present makes us continue to look forward to the future with hope and anticipation. Our need for grace and mercy leads us to pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to conform us into the image of our Savior, Jesus.
As we remember the joy of celebrating the first coming of our Salvation, we renew our passionate desire for His second coming and for living for Him until that day comes.
We celebrated His birth; now we remember the cross and resurrection as the conviction in our hearts grows: “He must increase, but I must decrease”(John 3:30).
Every sunrise is like a resurrection that floods the day with light and glory, only to fade at dusk—causing us to long through the night for the next sunrise.
As we approach the new year, remember, your Salvation is born and continues to live and work in our lives!
1. Translated from Latin (Veni Emmanuel, chant) by John Mason Neale, 1851
