Enter Jesus, to Save Christmas

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
    or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
but your iniquities have made a separation
    between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
    so that he does not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood
    and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies;
    your tongue mutters wickedness…
Feet run to evil,
    and are swift to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are of iniquity;
    desolation and destruction are in their highways.

“Therefore justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not overtake us;
we hope for light, and behold, darkness,
    and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
We grope… like the blind;
    like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
    among those in full vigor we are like dead men.
We all growl like bears;
    we moan like doves;
we hope for justice, but there is none;
    for salvation, but it is far from us.
For our transgressions are multiplied before you,
    and our sins testify against us;
for our transgressions are with us,
    and we know our iniquities:
transgressing, and denying the Lord,
    and turning back from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
    conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.

“Justice is turned back,
    and righteousness stands far away;
truth has stumbled in the public squares…

“The Lord saw, and it displeased him
    that there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man,
    and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
    and his righteousness upheld him…

“’A Redeemer will come to Zion,
    to those… who turn from transgression,’ declares the Lord.”

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 59:1-3,7,9-16,20; 60:1

Isaiah’s prophetic word broke into despair, promising a Redeemer to the oppressed, salvation to the transgressor. The separation that began in Eden made wide the gap between God and man, and ready a people for Jesus. Misery would meet Mercy at Christmas.

In every day, darkness and gloom grope for light, vileness, defilement, and injustice cry out for an able, strong hand to save. Enter Jesus into our chaotic culture to intercede, His saving righteousness to impart. Emmanuel has come! Rejoice! (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; )

What outside forces, oppression of soul, uncertain emotion, or longing looms heavy? In what misery- of my own or another’s making- do I choose to stew? Will I behold my Savior, cast my cares on Him, and arise to the joy of salvation? (1 Peter 5:7)

“O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.

O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel. ~ J.M. Neale (1851)

So be it, Lord!