OComeOComeEmmanuel

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Dear World,

Do you know it is advent time? That Christ is coming? Immanuel means God with us. Would you stop for a minute or 100 to think about what you’re doing today? Are you making life better for folks? Worse? Would you stop to greet an orphan, widow, homeless guy? Would you be kind to your neighbors? Even just today? Would you turn off the news, noise, and get out there and enjoy your life, bring joy to life? Would you ponder how God came down to save us because he loves you? Yes YOU! Because he really is good. Would you take a minute or 100 to think about that?

Love Michelle

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.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan’s tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o’er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,

In ancient times did’st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

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OComeLetUsAdoreHim

“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53:3-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Dear God,

What a heavy burden you have in us people. For every one person who has a relationship with you, how many do not? And every year, there are even more of us down here! How do you do it? The fact we keep procreating shows how much you love us. The numbers just keep increasing! Infinite love for a perfect creation gone wrong so long ago. Words do not adequately describe the love you have for us. The patience. The mercy. And every year, we are reminded by your birth story how you would do it all again if it meant having us. Was there ever a love greater than this? Thank you Jesus! You are magnificent, amazing love!

Love Michelle

Joining Lyli.

12.03.15

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?””‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:8-9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Dear God,

Who am I that you would come down here to look for me? And love me when I told you to go away all those years ago?  Even now, when I find myself wandering away from you, you always come looking for me, like a search party looks for a man lost in the ocean where it’s nearly impossible to see a speck in a vast sea of blue, gray, black.

You ask, “Where are you?” I am here Father. Following your fire by night, your smoke by day, your robes. I will do my best to stay behind you, to follow you. Because you know the Way. Because you are the only one who is wise and good and glorious and true. 

And I will trust when I get ahead of you, you won’t let me get so far as to lose sight of me. That you will reel me back in if I get too close to danger. That you’ll catch me when I fall. Because… You. Came. Down. 

I don’t know how to properly tell you I love you. I don’t have enough words to convey how I love you! Jesus my Brother. My Friend. Best Friend!

Love Michelle

Joining Lyli.