Photo by canva
Click here for Instagram series.
Click here for more posts in this series.
I wanted to share a piece of music in this series and I came across this. The line that was so touching was this one: Bring your peace into our violence. Yes, I know it is from Christmas, but it still seems applicable to our current theme at a time when we can be overwhelmed by the sin and violence around us.
It was at just such a time that Jesus came. You may remember that God’s people had not heard anything from God for 400 years. There had been no prophets. I’m sure the ones who were still looking for Messiah were wondering if they had been forgotten. Had God finally given up on them? They certainly deserved it. But He had promised them in His covenant with them, that Someone was coming to save them. They learned the hard way that they weren’t able to live up to their side of the covenant. They had broken their promises time after time. Even when they tried, they were not able to keep their side of the covenant. If God didn’t come through for them, they were finished.
Nation after nation had taken them over and they were disappearing into the fabric of the nations around them…almost. Some must have wondered if their religion was totally irrelevant. Rome, the current ruling nation, was known as an iron ruler. They were cold-hearted and in the years to come, would become more so. There was no even handed justice.
Then Bethlehem happened, but it was not a splashy event, it was quiet.
And then, one night in Bethlehem, came Jesus. His birth was without much fanfare…well, except for the angels sent to the shepherds, of course. But they weren’t seen by most people. For the most part, He came very quietly and unobtrusively.
He wasn’t what the religious leaders were expecting. They expected adulation from Messiah and they definitely didn’t get that! He told them they were a bunch of hypocrites.
He wasn’t what common people were expecting. They expected a political leader who would fix everything for them. He told them to pick up a cross and follow HIm. Most didn’t want that!
Despite what happened on Palm Sunday, everyone turned against Him within a week and even His followers ran away and hid. He was crucified and died. It looked like it was all over…until Sunday when He rose from the dead!
That’s when they knew He had power over death and sin as well as illness and storms. That is when they knew He could deal with their guilt as well as their sin. He came to bring Shalom. That peace that is described as a sense of well-being. That is when they had hope…confident assurance based on who Jesus was, and a certainly that He would keep His promises.
Welcome to our World
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
Word 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 GodChris Rice
