21 December 2013 - no ordinary dayspring

21 December 2013 - no ordinary dayspring

He is close at hand now, the coming king.  When he comes let us welcome him with songs of joy.

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!

This is no ordinary child.  Somehow this baby being born means that

The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.

On the one hand we behold a baby being born in poverty amidst harsh conditions.  But if our eyes don't stay earthbound we recognize the angels singing over the birth of this child.  If we are patient we see the wise men worshiping.  We realize that this is no ordinary baby boy.

The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;

He is a baby and yet he is mighty savior.
Jesus comes to give us joy.  He comes that our joy may be full (cf. Joh 15:11).  In order to receive the joy that God has in store for us this season we must be as open to the Holy Spirit as is Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice

We too need to be sensitive to Mary's greeting.  She speaks to us as well, as she brings her son to us.  And the Spirit moves with such great joy that even the child within Elizabeth leaps in celebration.  Mary and Elizabeth are both models for us of being attentive to the coming king.  Mary's spirit rejoices in God her savior.  Elizabeth cries out filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Since this is the joy that Jesus has for us let us be attentive.  In many ways the world will continue on as it always does.  Many things will appear unchanged.  But we must see and realize that everything is changed.  Nothing is as it was because the LORD our God is with us.

Let us rejoice.

Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
Even as we sing over this infant we marvel that he is merely trying to give us the joy in him which he has in us.  He is merely helping us to reciprocate his timeless love for us.

He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.




He is the Dayspring the bright Morning Star who comes to bring light to our darkness.  "I say again, rejoice!" (cf. Phi. 4:4).