They Weren't My Words Anyway

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of our God endures forever.

Isaiah 40:8 NIV

As I reflect on how little I write these days, and how often I used to write, I miss being able to go back and read some of the stories and narratives that once I put onto this little digital thing called the internet.

You see, I once did a lot of guest blogging for a special needs ministry blog. And often, I would connect my stories to my personal blog here because they were our stories; the stories of my family, and how our faith grew or was shaped through our journey.

I never kept hard copies of what I wrote because to me, "it would always be on the internet."

Now, however, my personal blog here has a number of posts that are from those "guest blogging days" and give you a taste of what my post was about, but then contain a link that goes NOWHERE. Literally, it takes you to a FORBIDDEN page.

I felt quite melancholy when I realized this. My stories were gone. None of them have "an end." It's as if you start a tv show and only get 1/3 of the way through every single episode!

But God quickly put my feelings in check. He reminded me that everything around us is temporary and that it all belongs TO HIM.

Every sunrise, every stream, every mountain.
Every heartbreak, every fever, every tear.
Every word, every breath, every step. 

If it were God's will for those words I wrote to still be found, He would make them findable. If God has a new story He wants me to tell, He will have me write it. If God meant for those stories I typed to be for one special period in time, then that is where they are and that is where they'll stay.

Because, as much as I'd like to claim ownership of those words and rights to those stories, the fact of the matter is, they weren't my words anyway.  They belonged to God. 

Long lay the world...Until

So, I was pretty much a blubbering mess today during worship (thankfully I was in the congregation and NOT up on the stage). I wanted to share just what was so special about our worship today that it caused me to weep more than sing.

It started with “Oh, Holy Night.” The words: Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘til He appeared and the soul felt its worth struck me today as never before. Having just completed an in depth study of Hosea and Amos, LONG LAY THE WORLD became suddenly ALIVE to me. In Hosea 10: 13-15, for example, we read:

You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice,

You have eaten the fruit of lies, 

Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors, 

Therefore a tumult will arise among your people, 

And all your fortresses will be destroyed, 

As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle, 

When mothers were dashed in pieces with their children,

Thus it will be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness. 

At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off. 

(emphasis added by me).

Humanity was hopeless...Israel was worshipping idols in God’s sacred temples, they were sacrificing their own children to Baal, they were making alliances and paying off other leaders in order to try to keep themselves safe. What is even more astounding is that a close reading of these years of kings and prophets reminds us that we are not so different than that old Israel.

God said, “Because of your great wickedness...you will be completely cut off.”

And thus begins, “Long lay the world in sin and error pining, UNTIL HE APPEARS!!!”

Yes, the long-awaited, long-hoped for MESSIAH. The only one who can make us, in our sinful, self-serving humanity, WORTHY of an inheritance in the kingdom of God.

So, this is how I came to feel a little emotional during worship. Then the bottom fell out of my tenuous control of my tears when we reached the closing song and it was a medley of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Tremble”????!!!!

That’s it. I’m done. Are you kidding me? Can.not.stop.the.tears.

Because here’s where Israel was headed, and where we all are headed without God:

I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said, 

“Smite the capitals so that the thresholds will shake, 

And break them on the heads of them all! 

Then I will slay the rest of them with the sword; 

They will not have a fugitive who will flee, 

Or a refugee who will escape. 

Amos 9: 1 NASB 

But here’s where the appearance of Jesus takes us:

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free 

Thine own from Satan's tyranny 

From depths of hell Thy people save 

And give them victory o'er the grave.

O come, O come, Emmanuel lyrics 

We were the enemy. We were “without an escape.” Until the Son of God appeared (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel). Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth (O, Holy Night.).


Now THAT is reason to rejoice.