word

i went to a chris tomlin christmas concert wednesday night. it was awesome. i actually didn't know it was going to be so much christmas music, but i loved it. do you ever really listen to the words? -really- hear them when you sing?
louie giglio also spoke in the middle of the concert. i want to blog about what he shared, so i can't take credit for these ideas. (but really, what ideas are ever -actually- original, anyway? it's prideful to think we're the first person to ever think of something. in all of history. of the billions and billions of people who have lived here.) yes, we are creative because He is Creator... i just think we all take personal credit for too much.

sorry for that rant.

back to louie.
he shared about what the birth of the Christ really meant to the people living at that time. the distance between the old and new testaments in the bible is only a page or two... but for the people of God, it was more like 400 years. i don't know about you, but when i don't hear from God for a week, i start to get worried. i don't like feeling like i don't know what He's speaking to me. but for the Israelites, who had heard from God over and over and over and over (much of it repeats because they, in human form, had such a hard time catching on)... but they heard from Him so much they had a book. then one day it stopped. pretty soon the last people who had ever heard a word from God were dead. and then generations went on never hearing a word. all they had were the stories... the growing doubts and questions... and probably, a sense of abandonment. "God, what do you want from us?" no word. "God, please guide us!" no word. "God, please! where is our promised king?" no word.

until one day.
after 400 years he decided to break his silence. at the end of 400 years he broke his silence with The Word... the Logos... the Christ. what brings me to tears is the way in which God decided to break the silence. Emmanuel... Christ with us... the first noise the Word made... was the sound of a cry. it was as if God was saying, "it's okay! i know. i know the pain you feel! i know your brokenness. i know how you have been awaiting your King... and i know it, because now i am living among you." He broke His silence with a wail that traveled across Bethlehem. a cry that the shepherds and angels and his earthly mother and father heard.

that's beautiful. he understands my brokenness to the extent that he chose to break His silence with the world by acknowledging it. with a cry. he understands your brokenness to the extent that He broke His silence by sending His son to live among us... to speak to us... to identify with us... to walk with us. Emmanuel.

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!