My son has been learning “Away In The Manger” for his preschool Christmas pageant and I get choked up by the third line. The song gets me every time. He asks why I’m misty eyed and my voice chokes at the end. I’m misty eyed because that little Lord Jesus was innocent and all powerful at the same time for the redemption of our souls.

We see the enchantment of the Christmas season everywhere from Christmas songs to twinkle lights, and it’s telling a story of beauty and generosity. We also see stories in Paris, San Bernadino, and in our homes that scream of loss and despair. It can be hard to savor this time of year when we are distracted by busyness and the grief that plagues the world. I believe in the midst of confusion and loss that this season can be sweeter than its ever been. We can taste and see his goodness in the midst of the darkest of nights when we wait for him.  Its all so much. Yet in the quiet Jesus is near. His great gift to us is himself. He came that first Christmas and he is coming still.

At some point or another we are all waiting. Waiting and hoping. Waiting for that spouse, waiting for that paycheck, waiting for that child, or waiting for the test results. In our longing we are reminded we need more than what we are asking for. We need Jesus.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means, ‘God is with us.'” Matthew 1:23

The book of Isaiah was written 700 years before the birth of Christ. The people of the Old Testament hungered and waited for a Savior for much longer than we can imagine. The earth still swells in longing for the Kingdom to come, for heaven to come to earth. In advent we are reminded to wait, to long for something, someone. Christmas shouts, “he’s here! he’s really here, God is with us!

The Christmas story is one that screams to us that God is acquainted with our grief so much so that he sent himself in his Son to be with us, to bear with us, to hope for us.

In this advent season we wait, we hope and remember he is near. It was a simple yet sacred celebration of his presence, the long awaited King. With Mary full term she couldn’t hold back the plan that started in the garden. She gave birth to HOPE, hope not just for herself or her people, but for all of us.