Metro Moms

"Joy Has Dawned Upon the World"

This is a modern Christmas Hymn.  I hope these words touch your heart the way they did mine!

"Joy has dawned upon the world, Promised from creation—
God's salvation now unfurled, Hope for ev'ry nation.
Not with fanfares from above, Not with scenes of glory,
But a humble gift of love—Jesus born of Mary.

Sounds of wonder fill the sky, With the songs of angels
As the mighty Prince of Life, Shelters in a stable.
Hands that set each star in place, Shaped the earth in darkness,
Cling now to a mother's breast, Vuln'rable and helpless.

Shepherds bow before the Lamb, Gazing at the glory;
Gifts of men from distant lands, Prophesy the story.
Gold—a King is born today, Incense—God is with us,
Myrrh—His death will make a way, And by His blood He'll win us.

Son of Adam, Son of heaven, Given as a ransom;
Reconciling God and man, Christ, our mighty champion!
What a Savior! What a Friend! What a glorious myst'ry!
Once a babe in Bethlehem, Now the Lord of hist'ry."

"Joy Has Dawned upon the World"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2004 Thankyou Music

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

"In the twelfth century the French mystic Bernard of Clairvaux wrote in Latin, "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee."  One of the blessings of songs like this is to build a vocabulary of delight into our minds even as the affection of spiritual pleasure is wakened in our hearts by the contemplation of Christ."

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Savior of mankind!

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Thou our prize wilt be;
Jesus be Thou our glory now,
And through eternity.

O Jesus, light of all below,
Thou fount of living fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire.

From God Is The Gospel, by John Piper

God came near

"It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment.  As moments go, that one appeared no different than any other.  If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly like the ones that have passed while you have read these words.  It came and it went.  It was preceded and succeeded by others just like it.  It was one of the countless moments that have marked time since eternity became measurable.

But in reality, that particular moment was like none other.  For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred.  God became a man.  While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived.  Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

The omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable.  He who had been spirit became pierceable.  He who was larger than the universe became an embryo.  And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.

God as a fetus.  Holiness sleeping in a womb.  The creator of life being created....

God had come near.

He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conquerer, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter.  The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.

No silk.  No ivory.  No hype.  No party.  No hoopla. 

Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception.  And were it not for a group of stargazers, there would have been no gifts.....

"I am with you always" are the words of a God who in one instant did the impossible to make it all possible for you and me.

It all happened in a moment.  In one moment....a most remarkable moment.  The Word became flesh.  "  Max Lucado

Posted by Elyse

Why?

So why all this talk about traditions? Or what do you say to your children when they ask why you even have traditions?  Here is an excerpt from the book,"Treasuring God in Our Traditions" by Noel Piper that helps explain this:

"In the book of Exodus, Moses displays his understanding of the nature of children and the responsibility of parents: 'And when your children say to you, "What do you mean by this service?" you shall say, "It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, for he passed over the house of the people of Israel in Egypt'' (12:26-27). Moses assumes children will ask why. And he instructs parents to give an answer that speaks of reality.  This instruction is all in the context of laying out for children ceremonies that will portray the answer.  He is giving them the answer, both spoken and displayed.  And the answer is God--God saved us, and we honor him, worship him, thank him.  We and our children need this kind of yearly repetition to impress us with the weight of what God has done. "

So in our traditions -- spiritual and not-so-spiritual -- let's remember to help our children to honor, worship and thank Him! In everything we do this week, may we seek to impress them with the amazing weight of what the Savior did when He became man to take their sins.

Posted by Taraleigh