By Dn Leong Pei De, Victor
How are you approaching Jesus this Advent season? Are you filled with hope, experiencing peace, celebrating with joy and embraced by the love of Christ? If instead you are feeling too weary, condemned or burdened to celebrate Christmas, you aren’t alone. Given the multitude of activities planned, responsibilities to juggle and unforeseen stressors, many of us enter the advent season busier, more bruised and even harbouring bitterness because our prayers don’t seem to have a clear response. I’ve had the privilege of joining the Men’s Ministry Bible Study and praying along with men this year who have themselves been through a multitude of difficult circumstances- health challenges, trials in the job environment, life transitions, bereavements, disappointments, loneliness, caregiving responsibilities for children who have developmental/learning difficulties and for parents stricken with illnesses, etc. What’s clear is that trials are ubiquitous and to struggle is human. Moreover, we do not enjoy the luxury of having these challenges take a pause as we enter into the Advent season. Thus, the turmoil, difficult emotions, and even pain may be fully present as we enter a season that is characterised by triumph and celebration.
Thankfully, the message of Advent is not about human perfection but entirely about helpless humanity being saved by a wondrous God.
This reflection has been inspired by the song ‘O Come All You Unfaithful’ written by Lisa Clow and Bob Kauflin. It was introduced by a brother during our recent men’s fellowship meal. It was written out of a vulnerable realisation that sometimes we may not be among the ‘faithful’ the familiar carol (i.e.. O Come, All Ye Faithful) seems to invite. Nonetheless, we can still come to Jesus because that’s precisely why he came in the first place. It is not our ‘faithfulness’ that enables us to come to Jesus, rather our brokenness. Let us consider a few verses that emphasise who Jesus came for and who he is inviting this Advent season.
Jesus came for the unrighteous. He came to save people from their sins. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f] because he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)
Jesus came for the sick, those in need of help. On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”. (Mark 2:17)
Jesus came to die for us while we were powerless and still sinners. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
What has your 2024 been like? Was this year unusually trying and tumultuous? As we ponder again the birth of Jesus, you are invited to come honestly before him. Bring your burdens, hurts, trials, feelings of guilt, shame, helplessness to Jesus because He can handle them all. Come, though you have nothing (to offer); Come, He is the offering; Come, see what God has done.
O Come, All You Unfaithful
Verse 1
O come, all you unfaithful
Come, weak and unstable
Come, know you are not alone
Verse 2
O come, barren and waiting ones
Weary of praying, come
See what your God has done
Chorus
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you
Verse 3
O come, bitter and broken
Come with fears unspoken
Come, taste of His perfect love
Verse 4
O come, guilty and hiding ones
There is no need to run
See what your God has done
Bridge
He’s the Lamb who was given
Slain for our pardon
His promise is peace
For those who believe
Verse 5
So come, though you have nothing
Come, He is the offering
Come, see what your God has done
Music and words by Bob Kauflin and Lisa Clow © 2020 Sovereign Grace Praise/BMI (adm. worldwide by Integrity Music). Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Churches. All rights reserved.
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