In the bleak midwinter ...

“In the bleak midwinter” ...  I heard this Christmas song over the radio this past week and it kind of stayed with me.  Not all of it, mind you, as unfortunately the only words I can remember are “In the bleak midwinter”...  I do know the last verse of the song though:

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

This last verse has always been a favorite of mine.  I actually thought it was a song on its own and only just recently realized that it is the last verse of the song"In the Bleak Midwinter", actually penned as a poem long ago by Christina Rossetti.

But this year, I’m having a hard time getting past “in the bleak midwinter”, as that’s sort of how life feels right now.  Bleak.  Cold.  Winter. 

I seem to be stuck in my own bleak midwinter, but the truth is, in that bleak midwinter long ago, God of Heaven came down, the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.   He didn't come to a palace, or a top-notch hospital, befitting the birth of a King, but to a lowly stable, surrounded by hay and animals.  

And in my own bleak midwinter, the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ, wants to enter in and reign.  He doesn't care about the mess and disorder in my life.  He's been there before; he's been in the lowly stable.

In my bleak midwinter, I wonder what I have to offer the King of Kings.  In my weariness and the aches and pains of life, it feels like I have absolutely nothing in the well and the reserves are running on empty.  

What can I give Him?  What do I have to offer?  Nothing, really.  And yet, He loves me and wants to live with me and have a relationship with me.  All He wants from me is my heart.

So what can I give Him?  I choose to give Him my heart.   And in doing that, I will trust Him to walk with me through my bleak midwinter.  

In the bleak midwinter

BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI; Music: Cranham, Gus­tav T. Holst

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,

Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;

Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,

The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;

But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,

Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

A Season of Hope – Part II

Lately I have been clinging to hope like it’s a safety rope.  Hope, as in I hope that my truck-driving husband gets back on the road and gets some good miles under his belt so we can pay the bills.  Or I hope that my furnace keeps heating and makes it through the winter ... without any more repair bills.

This past week, apparently God needed to shake up my “hope” and re-focus it. 

The good news is that my husband got back out on the road and got a long trip to Florida.  The bad news is that he had mechanical issues with the truck that needed repair and spent 3 days waiting in Georgia for the truck to be fixed.  Thankfully he’s back on the road.

It was good news when the furnace repair tech that came out a week ago got my furnace working again.  The bad news was that when the fellow came to clean the furnace this past Thursday, he discovered it wasn’t working again.  Thankfully a new furnace was installed on Friday.  That’s actually very good news, especially with the cold temperatures we’re having right now!

I had been clinging to hopes that were intertwined with my fears.  That’s not really hope at all, but more like desperation. 

In the words of a classic hymn I grew up with,

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. 
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, 
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand, 
All other ground is sinking sand; 
All other ground is sinking sand.

My hope shouldn’t be on anything or anyone; not that truck, my husband or the furnace repair guy.   My hope needs to be grounded on who Jesus is and His great love and care for me. 

Psalm 25:5 says "Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you."

The focus for the second week of Advent varies depending on the denomination and liturgy, but “Preparation” follows “Hope”.  It’s not a “getting ready” by shopping, wrapping and baking, but a preparation of the heart to celebrate Jesus during this season of hope, love and peace.

My preparation already started last week when we had obstacles and difficulties come our way with the truck and the furnace.  It seemed that every day I was reminded in small ways to be thankful in all circumstances and to have a heart of praise even when I wanted to cry in despair.  I chose to thank God for taking care of us, and believed He would.

My Hope is Jesus, and I will continue to make my heart ready to celebrate Him this season with thanksgiving and praise.

We may not have a lot of gifts under the tree this year, but we will be together as a family, sharing in the gifts of love that we have for each other.  And with our newly installed furnace, we will be warm!

A Season of Hope

It's the first Sunday of Advent today, and the first candle is lit.  

It's a season of expectancy; a season of waiting. 

A season to remember what it is we celebrate this time of year;

We celebrate the birth of a King.

So long ago a baby was born and in a lowly manger laid.

He was named Jesus, as the prophets foretold,

Immanuel, meaning "God with us",

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

In that baby born there is hope for all people;

Hope for redemption, salvation and peace.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us;  Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, Born a Child, and yet a King.

Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

I just happened to check out Ann Voskamp's blog.  She puts it so well.

 http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/12/advent-devotionals-week-01-hope/

Isaiah 40: 28-31:
Do you not know?  Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not be faint.