Last night, in context of writing a poem beginning ‘Emmanuel, God with us’, some friends asked the question, ‘What does Jesus’ birth mean to you?’ It got me pondering.
I love the poetry, depth of the words and the cry in the beautiful carol, ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ (and here’s another less traditional version). It’s not your typical Christmas carol but tells a story through its lyrics… a story my heart connects with, maybe because it has the same cry. There are a number of different versions of the lyrics and many more of the song performed, but the first lyrics I happened to pull up had (what I think are) the full five verses… which few performances seem to include, yet so rich are they in depth and cry and promise.
You see, if I had to pull out the key thing that Jesus’ birth means to me right now, it is redemption. Although ‘redemption’ in Christian talk typically refers to Jesus’ death saving us from sin, there is so much more to it and for me this carol taps into some of those depths.
It takes me into the story of Israel, into the history of God’s working throughout generations… connecting me with those whom God had chosen to be His people and their desperate cry for freedom and to live in what had been long promised, their pain at the loneliness and lostness of exile, their reaching for hope in spite of the oppression, the gloomy clouds and dark shadows. So many stories throughout the Old Testament woven into the ache of this carol, as well as the echo of the prophets who spoke of the One to come. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel SHALL come to thee, O Israel! It speaks to me of His faithfulness, because He did come. The prophecies were fulfilled, our heavenly home was opened wide and a safe way was made that leads on high.
I find myself in this season knowing that a way has been made, knowing that Jesus has come, knowing that death’s dark shadows have been put to flight… yet aching and yearning for the Dayspring to again cheer us with His drawing nigh. Sometimes I feel like I’m an oddball, other times I wonder whether all humanity feels this. For me there’s a tension, a ‘was’ and ‘is’ and ‘will be’ that I find myself in the ebb and flow of… He’s come, He’s here and He’s coming; I have been redeemed, I’m being redeemed, I’m going to be redeemed. There are depths and layers, ups and downs, the tension of these held together… some times filled with the victory and hope of all these, some times battling to even see any of them from the dark valleys filled with gloomy clouds. But the refrain and the promise remains whether in the was, is or will be: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
So, redemption… to be redeemed… why does Jesus’ birth mean this to me? Common synonyms of redeem are deliver, ransom, reclaim, rescue, and save. While all these words mean “to set free from confinement or danger,” redeem implies releasing from bondage or penalties by giving what is demanded or necessary. The dictionary definition also talks of the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt. Quite simply, if it wasn’t for Jesus I wouldn’t be here. I’ve already known His redemption – He has set me free…delivered, rescued, saved me – and yet I’m in a season where God has spoken of the more to come, so I’m living with hope and expectation of a release from the insecurities, the fears, the shame, the resistance to trust – and the many other things that hold me back – into a freedom that I’ve never known before. And I’m also living with the reality that there are many things that war against gaining possession of the forthcoming freedom. Like the Israelites mourning in exile and calling for their ransom from captivity and for freedom from Satan’s tryanny, I ache for the ‘is to come’, yet have the confidence that God’s faithfulness to COME, just as He came as a baby, remains the same today. He has already done it. He’s already given what was demanded for my release. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel SHALL come to you, O Clare!
Pursuing Purpose 