I woke up this morning with a very heavy heart, and I found myself crying out for comfort...and I am not acquainted with any of the parents who lost a precious child this past week...but I feel their pain and my heart is breaking for them. I can't even begin to imagine how those families are feeling right now...all I can do is pray that God will indeed bring comfort to their hearts, as only He can.
In this Christmas season we are celebrating the first advent of our Lord and Savior, when He left the splendor or heaven to come to earth as a little baby...(See Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6-7) I found myself singing this little song this morning when I woke up feeling so sad. It is a song that we are singing in our Christmas Cantata next Sunday morning:
"There's a baby in a manger, you just won't believe.
The angels have been singing, the shepherds came to see.
The star is brightly shining, it has everyone amazed.
It's shining down on a little Boy, He's lying in the hay..."
Thinking about this little Baby in the Manger brought me a sense of comfort this morning.
Listen to what the prophet Isaiah writes in chapter 61:1-3, concerning the purpose of Christ's Advent:
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the
spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord,
that He may be glorified."
Today I pray that Christ will indeed "heal the brokenhearted", "comfort all who mourn" (in Newtown,CT...and any place where there is grief over the loss of a loved one,)...and I pray that God will, in His time, and in His own tender way, "give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." This will take time...healing doesn't happen overnight...for some it may take a lifetime, for some it may never come. But I pray God will begin the process now...that He will cradle these dear families in His arms, that He will cover them with His love and mercy, and carry them in these painful days ahead as we approach Christmas and the times that should have been days of joy for these families.
I wish these sorrowing parents could see and know that their children are now safe in the arms of Jesus. The once "Baby in the Manger" is now their loving companion...and He will tenderly care for them forever. For those of us who know Christ, this is a comfort...even when we are hurting so deeply. For those who do not know Christ, I pray they will seek His face...and allow Him to comfort their broken hearts.
That's why He came as that little Baby in the Manger...to bring comfort...to heal the broken hearted...
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| The Baby in the Manger...The Saviour of our Souls...and The Comforter for those who mourn. |
What a beautiful post. Thank you, Pam, for your sweet encouragement!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pam. Sometimes, as you know, writing can help soothe our hurting souls. We often derive more encouragement for ourselves in the process when we had hoped to help others cope with the loss as well.
DeleteBlessings to you today.