A Light Has Dawned
To the one whose heart is broken -
The one, weary in doing good -
To the one for whom all hope seems lost -
I am come.
To the one on whom shadows fall,
The one whos finds pleasant places - bleak and barren,
To the one who walks on crooked paths, where once their way was straight…
I am come.
To the one who sails on the winds of courage,
The one who embraces tenacious faith -
To the one who bows low with
fierce, determined hope…
Remember, I have come.
To the one who stretches out their hand
to find the arms of one most holy…
To the one who cries in desperate hope
that all cannot be lost…
To the one whose candle’s flame flickers
weak and low…
I AM COME
Throughout the ages, souls EXACTLY like yours and mine have been overshadowed by all manner of darkness…
Overshadowed by gloom, distress… souls barely alive - continually living under the shadow of death.
Hearts, exhausted by the struggle, burdened by the yoke of suffering, weighed down by the rod of oppression… daily beaten low by wars and battles.
Darkness overshadowed everything…
sapping all life from the living.
And throughout the ages- souls EXACTLY like you and me… saw THE GREAT LIGHT!
Light dawned!
Somehow, in the darkness,
in their defeat,
in the shadow -
they grew.
From the depths of such pain -
JOY was carved.
And from such JOY, they fiercely counted their blessings… beginning with - “I AM COME.”
And although wars and battles continued to rage, JOY took hold…
Humility was developed -
A CHILD WAS BORN.
And the loveliness and lowliness of childlike beauty became the seed by which we stand today.
I AM -
And the seed took root and became the lineage by which today, we cry, “Abba Father…”
WONDERFUL COUNSELOR - the One on whom we lay our deepest burdens… And the candle of our faith burns slightly brighter. Slightly stronger.
MIGHTY GOD - the One in whom we trust to be our strength, to rule and reign over all… the LIGHT has come.
EVERLASTING FATHER - the closeness of One who gives us life, who shares in the very fabric of our DNA.
For in Him, we have been made new… Because of His great grace, He calls us children - so that no one can boast. The people walking in darkness, have seen a GREAT LIGHT.
PRINCE OF PEACE - the One who draws us unto Himself and breathes LIFE, COURAGE, FAITH, HOPE into every part of our being.
For it is with PEACE - wars come to rest.
It is with PEACE - hearts can flourish.
It is PEACE that can govern the impossible - establishing and upholding JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS both now and forever.
And so we pause, as the prophecy of so very long ago takes root within… and we ask with both honest hope and honest doubt - HOW?
And our hearts cry with both joy and pain - HOW?
“The zeal of the LORD ALMIGHTY
will accomplish this…”
Not by our efforts alone
Not by our understanding alone
Not by our might and power alone
“…BY MY SPIRIT”, says the Lord
And should our candle still remain -
burning low and barely bright -
flickering in and out with feeble faith…
The LIGHT has come.
This is the message to those living in darkness!
The LIGHT has come!
(*As a family, we lived for one solid year, under the shadow of hospice… living in the shadow of death. We watched life slowly fade before our eyes. We watched fierce faith wobble - like a candle threatened at being snuffed out by the slightest wind or trouble.
It was because of the intense darkness of such shadows, we could see THE LIGHT so very clearly.
A Light that drew us… pulled us in. Encompassed us, empowered us, encouraged us. We never knew a day without it. Every battlefront - guided by the Prince of Peace.
And we got it wrong more often than not… we lost our footing, lost our way. But the candle of His Light and Mercy never went out. HOPE fueled our faith.*)
Today, I pray you and I may never read Scripture as though it is just a good story. A great plot line… or an idealistic endeavor. That will only serve to crush and destroy.
Because the very fabric of our DNA is embedded in being made new in Him; we have HOPE. LIFE. LIGHT.
Be at peace, dear friends, during this advent season!
Capture anew the MIRACLE of -
“God with us - Immanuel.”
It holds all the necessary power to change everything.
ISAIAH 9 -
“Nevertheless -
there will be no more gloom
for those who were in distress.
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
Every warrior’s boot used in battle and
every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.”
Isaiah 9:1-7
