Immanuel

​Once God spoke.
Once He promised His presence.
Then sin entered in
by our own choice.
He had to step in to save,
set up His covenant to bring salvation.
Grace offered.
His children, His chosen
turned their back on the One
who saved, the One who came for them.
And so He punished.
He sent them out, His children.
From the garden,
from the land.
Children of promise
cast out of the Father’s presence.
His preachers called, cried,
cajoled His people to return
in faith, to believe again.
“The promise still stands,”
the preachers cried.
But the people disobeyed, despaired.
“God has forsaken, forgotten,”
they cried.
And there was silence.
Thunderous silence for 400 years.
Imagine.
The One who promised had forgotten,
abandoned His own.
Silence.
One night, one still night
shepherds watched,
a cold and dreary task.
The silence of grazing
shattered by piercing light!
Songs, singing, light!
Angels sang
terrible, beautiful words.
“God has not forgotten,”
the song rang out,
“Fall on your knees.
Your Saviour is born today! Rejoice,
the Light has come!
He has not forgotten His promise!
Go and see. Tell all you know!
God has come. He is with you,
among you.
Go.
See.
Tell.”
And now the Light has come.
Immanuel.
God with us.
The promise is true.
He has come!
Worship the One who comes to
fulfill the Father’s promise;
our sins forgiven
by faith in the Promised One.
Come and see in faith.
Rejoice!
Silence no more!
Immanuel.
God with us!