April 18, 2024

Welcome To Our World

December 13, 2013 by

gchcarolsbloggraphic

Hearing this song brings many vivid images to my mind: those of Mary and Joseph holding their new child, the odors of animals that have lived in the stable, the gentle lowing of the livestock. Then all of that is forgotten when this precious, heavenly Babe is held in their arms. I can imagine both of them with tears in their eyes as the infant stretches and yawns.

Then I recall the story of how the angel appeared to Mary, then to Joseph. There were some troubling times before they were together. Heavenly intervention was in order for Mary and the Babe to thrive and survive.  Joseph bended and heeded the advice he was given.

But after he had considered this,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus,
because He will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:20-21

I wonder if Joseph thought, “Me, raise Jesus, our Messiah? Are you sure? I’m a carpenter!”  God prevailed. I am sure there was a peace that fell on Joseph like a warm winter coat. That was all the confidence he needed to proceed and trust what was to happen.

Welcome to Our World   ~  sung by Michael W. Smith, written by Chris Rice

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You’ve been promised, we’ve been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that You don’t mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home

Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
World now breaking Heaven’s silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

Dear Lord,

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be born of man and to live on the earth. Thank You for thinking of a way for Jesus to be a part of everyone’s story. Thank You for the redemption of the Cross and bringing hope to all of us and peace as we seek to know You more intimately. Help us to focus on You and Your Son, not on ourselves and what we think makes others happy. If we line up with Your will, then all things will work out as You have ordained them.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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Welcome to Our World

December 3, 2013 by

gchcarolsbloggraphic

My family is big on Christmas music. Scratch that, the women in my family + my daddy are big on Christmas music. I’d like to think we get it from my dad. I will always remember him singing Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” at the top of his lungs. I smile every time I think of the time I came home from school only to hear Celiene Dion’s Christmas album blaring from the basement with my dad accompanying her in perfect harmony! Christmas music is all you will hear in our home from the day after Thanksgiving until we finally take the Christmas tree down. I cannot even begin to imagine how many Christmas songs I have listened to in my lifetime.

Two years ago, I heard an old song in a new way and it forever changed my life. I believe this Christmas season, God wants you to hear something “old” in a new way. I believe with the same old way we do Christmas each year, He is desiring to show you something new about who He is to you. The following is my something new…

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born…unto us is born

 Amy Grant ~ Welcome to Our World

This song is one I have heard over and over again for the past 10+ years of my life. Not once until that moment two years ago, did my heart feel ever so gently touched by the sound of these words. Two years ago, I started to understand Christmas as more than traditions and trees and presents. I started to understand the One Whom this holiday is truly about. This revelation changed me and it changed the way I heard this song. I actually cried big tears while listening to this song because these words struck a chord in my heart. I was blown away by these words as I listened. How beautiful, how precious is our Savior.  “Tiny heart whose blood will save us…”—and it has, and it will, for evermore.

How blessed I am to have accepted such a sacrifice. I thank the Lord for bringing me to the point where I am today; as hard as it was. I am to the point where I understand that I will never fully know in this lifetime the depth of those words, the pain and love behind every one of them. One day we will know; and, oh, what a day that will be!  Until then, it is my prayer that as you listen to the same old songs, and do the same old Christmas traditions with your family, you take the time to find the newness of Christ in the midst of it all. Open your heart to the One who will gently remind you of the true Glory of this time of year found in that tiny heart sent for you and me.

 

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