Joyful, groaning hope!

Not much has changed since I wrote this. I am still tired and God is still lifting me up. One thing seems hopeful. My wife has agreed with me that it is time to talk. God is moving hearts and going out before me in battle. Hallelujah!

December 5, 2015

Worship: The First Noel (Holy is the Lord) by Hillsong

The first Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.

Noel, noel
Holy is, holy is the Lord

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night

Then let us all with one accord

Sing praises to our heavenly Lord

That hath made heaven and earth of naught

And with his blood mankind hath bought.

Noel, noel 

Holy is, holy is...
Noel, noel
Holy is, holy is...
Noel, noel 

Holy is, holy is the Lord

Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/hillsong/the-first-noel-holy-is-the-lord-lyrics/#OeSk57e8toHeJOgX.99

Video: https://youtu.be/hVUSG2o0w8g

Witness:

Time hurls on towards 2016 as I write this. Reading my journal entry from a month ago and I was saying I was going to slow down and really enjoy the meaning of the season. That has not yet appeared. I have read a smattering of Christmas thoughts from various gift books I bought for my wife and I have been going to “sleep” listening to a Christmas album each morning (remember I work the night shift). I am fighting a cold which does not help. Various obstacles have prevented me from going to bed before 11 am or noon, so I sleep later. This keeps me from getting anything done. No time to decorate and celebrate. Yet God keeps showing up and lifting me out of my doldrums. The song above was one such experience. The ending of the song is sung in an ever rising crescendo and lifted me up, as it were, with the holy seraphs singing “Holy is, Holy is the Lord”. I heard this as I went to sleep. When I woke up I changed the album playing and began to read some of those gift books I spoke of above. One of those books tells the history behind certain Christmas carols. Today I read about “Joy to the World” which was an adaptation of Psalm 98. Isaac Watts wrote it in light of what David may have said if he wrote it after Christ had come. After reading the history of the song and the author’s thoughts, as well as various supporting Scriptures, I read through the song’s lyrics which were included as well. As I was reading, I realized that the music playing in the background was Joy to the World! After it ended, a portion of the song from Handel’s messiah started to play. It was from Isaiah 9:6:

Isa 9:6

 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.

NIV

And that was the scripture on the page across from the song. As I write this, Chris Tomlin is singing his version of Joy to the World!

          Joy, unspeakable joy
          And overflowing where no tongue can tell
          Joy, unspeakable joy
          Rises in my soul, never lets me go

WORD:

Ps 24:1-2 24 The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. NIV

Ps 24:1-2 24 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein. 2. For he hath founded it upon  the seas, and established it  upon the floods. KJV

My soul rejoices in the goodness of God and all He has done to lift me up. However, my body groans with the lack of sleep and sickness. The scripture that comes to mind is Romans 8:19-21:

          The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to 

          be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not 

          by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, 

          in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage 

          to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. NIV

The earth is the Lord’s. He has made it and has subjected it to futility, because of humanity’s sin. From there come death and decay and disease. Yet we have this confident hope!

          We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the 
          pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but 
          we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly 
          as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of 
          our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen
          is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope 
          for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Rom. 8:22-25 NIV