… Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth. *

Advent is the unity of our expectation of the three comings of Christ: in the flesh in Bethlehem, in our hearts daily, and in glory at the end of time.

Today we acknowledge and praise God for the expression of His love through Jesus in our hearts.

Life is hard. The holidays can be very difficult for individuals who have lost someone dear, who is spending the holidays alone, who is ill or has an ill loved one, or who is still anticipating having that “someone dear”.

In the midst of this season, we need to open our hearts and lean in even more to the gift of Christ Jesus, the gift of someone who truly understands our humanity and our emotions.

How beautiful
How precious
The Savior of old
To love so
Completely
The loneliest soul
how gently
how tenderly
He says to one and all,
“Child you can follow Me
And I will lead you home
Trust Me and follow Me
And I will lead you home. **

Our loneliness, our heartbreaks, our uncertainties… He takes them all and wraps His loving arms around us. He loves us as we are because we are His.

Our souls found worth when Christ was born.

The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend;

He knows our need, To our weakness no stranger!
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King! your King! before him bend! *

We have the opportunity to allow Christ to occupy our hearts; to give of ourselves fully to Him in the knowledge that He will use us to bring hope and love into this dark and weary world.

As written in the last verse of O Holy Night,

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is Love and His gospel is Peace;
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease,
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise his Holy name!

Christ is the Lord, then ever! ever praise we!
His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!

As we continue to wait, hope and look during this Advent season, we do not have to wait to invite Jesus into our hearts. This very day, He is ready to envelope in His loving arms and begin this adventure with you.

Will you take the invitation?

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* O Holy Night by John Sullivan Dwight,

** Christmas Lullaby (I Will Lead You Home) by Amy Grant & Christopher Neville Eaton