“O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray,
cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Immanuel!”
-O Little Town of Bethlehem (verse 4)
The weeks before Christmas, Advent, means “come”. “Come”, as a verb, means, “move or travel to a place” or “to occur/happen.” So much “coming” this time of year with the coming of packages, Christmas cards, gifts, relatives, sweets and other such good tidings of comfort and joy. So in Christmastime whether you move physically to visit those sweet grandparents, parents or siblings, may Christ child “occur” within you in your current location. A present reality and a future hope simultaneously. To encourage such “happening” to occur around and within you , I present to you a reflection, words to choose externally and internally with supporting scripture.
COME
(externally chose at least 3)
Comfort
Beauty (self/ environment)
House/home
Financial stability
United marriage/ for a marriage
Friendship/ fellowship
Health
Losing weight
Healing
For children
A new job/career
Increase in income
Pet
Education/ schooling
New hobby/ interest
Adventure/ travel
More free time/ less busy schedule
Tidier home
More vacations
The presence of a lost loved one
COME
(internally fruits/gifts of the spirit, seven virtues, chose at least 3)
love
joy
peace
Patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self-control.
wisdom
understanding
counsel
fortitude
knowledge
piety
fear of the Lord
prudence
justice
fortitude
temperance
faith
hope
charity
COME
(Scripture- choose at least one verse to uplift your soul)
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”
-Psalm 95:6
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
-Matthew 11:28
“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
-Matthew 6:10
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
-John 14:18
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. “
-Isaiah 60:1
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.””
-Matthew 19:14
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty”
-Revelation 1:8
My COME the week before Christmas
Come beaut. Come gentle glow of tree lights. Come warm sweaters warming the cold air (even in the warm climate of Georgia). Come home. Come taped up wrapping paper ready for toddler ripping. Come comfort. Come warm tea and fleeting silent moments with two littles. Come hope in healing from COVID-19. Come peace between spouses, siblings and in myself. Come joy through baby snuggles, wails and toddler tantrums. Oh come Emmanuel, Jesus reside in the manger of my heart inside the nativity of my home. Come and give me rest (Matthew 11:28).
Emmanuel “God with us”. Come Lord Jesus, come.
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