Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus – December 13, 2024

Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!
Psalm 66:16-20

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Let me tell you what God has done for me. Twenty-one years ago, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Today, I have been cancer-free for twenty years. Fifteen years ago, I was unable to have a child. Today, we have two incredible teenagers. Ten years ago, I almost lost my foot in a faulty elevator. Today, I am still standing. Five years ago, I considered changing vocations. Today, by the grace of God, I am where I am.

Think of a time when you received good news—an answer to an impossible problem. The sense of joy and relief you felt is close to what the psalmist who wrote today’s Bible passage felt. He was not just telling a story; he was testifying to God’s presence in his life. He cried out to God, full of need and full of trust. God answered, not because the psalmist was deserving but because God’s love and mercy are vast.

Think about your own relationship with God. Are you trying to keep anything in the dark from God? Is that putting distance between you and him? Cry out to God. Let go of what is holding you in the shadows and lean into him for mercy. God listens and answers every prayer in love.

Amid the frenzy, the festivities, and the lights, it’s easy to miss the miracle that began it all. How God, in love, reached down to a weary world in answer to our greatest need ever—a Savior from sin and sorrow. Jesus came to give us true light and life by giving his own life to set us free from darkness and death.

Take time this Advent season to tell others what great things God has done for you.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 322 vs 1)
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. Amen.