{"id":16158,"date":"2013-12-14T00:01:07","date_gmt":"2013-12-14T06:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=16158"},"modified":"2013-12-13T23:50:41","modified_gmt":"2013-12-14T05:50:41","slug":"o-come-o-come-emmanuel-francesca-battistelli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/12\/14\/o-come-o-come-emmanuel-francesca-battistelli\/","title":{"rendered":"O Come, O Come Emmanuel – Francesca Battistelli"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"gchcarolsbloggraphic\"<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child
\nand will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
\nIsaiah 7:14<\/em><\/p>\n

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
\nBut after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, \u2018Joseph 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.\u2019
\nAll this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: \u2018The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel\u2019\u2013which means, \u2018God with us.\u2019”
\nMatthew 1:18-23<\/em><\/p>\n

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
\nThere on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, o
\nur tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, \u2018Sing us one of the songs of Zion!\u2019
\nHow can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?”
\nPsalms 137:1-4<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cO Come, O Come Emmanuel<\/em>\u201d has long been a favorite song of mine. \u00a0More of a somber tone than most carols sung this time of year, it expresses sadness and longing, while at the same time being hopeful. In this song you feel the disquiet and loneliness of Israel in captivity and the readiness to be rescued \u2013 \u201cCome, Emmanuel, ransom the captives!\u00a0 Free your people from tyranny! Save us from death! Cheer us up and give us hope!\u201d The tone of the song – melancholy and reflective – invites me to identify with Israel: ‘Have I not, too, been a captive to sin? Haven\u2019t I also felt lonely and separated from God? Am I not also subject to discouragement? Does death not also want to claim me? Don\u2019t I also, desperately, need to be rescued from darkness?’<\/p>\n

Ah, but the song is not finished!\u00a0 REJOICE \u2013\u00a0we are\u00a0told \u2013 REJOICE! \u201cEmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.\u201d\u00a0 And He did.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
\nAnd he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
\nOf the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
\nHe will reign on David\u2019s throne and over his kingdom,
\nestablishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.
\nIsaiah 9:6-7<\/em><\/p>\n

Do not be afraid.
\nI bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
\nToday in the town of David a Savior has been born to you:
\nHe is Christ the Lord.
\nLuke 2:10-11<\/em><\/p>\n

God IS with us! Through the birth of that Child the plan of God to save and redeem us was put into motion. Through Christ\u2019s life, death, and resurrection we indeed have cause for rejoicing \u2013 we have been freed from captivity!\u00a0 Death has no claim over us!\u00a0 We have a hope for life everlasting!\u00a0 So while the tone of the song is contemplative, the message is clear: \u201cREJOICE!!\u201d your salvation is here!<\/p>\n

Merry Christmas!\u00a0 May you feel the exhilarating joy of freedom in our Lord Jesus!<\/span><\/p>\n