How often do you feel sad? What makes you feel sad? Do you feel poor? Are you brokenhearted? Do you feel like a prisoner to life’s circumstances? Are you mourning? Do you feel too weak and faint to face life’s challenges?
These same problems were felt by God’s people of old. Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would be the cure for these heart wrenching problems. Indeed Jesus did come to bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, to bring comfort and gladness to all who mourn, and strength to those who feel faint.
Heinrich Held was one of the best Silesian hymn writers. He was born in 1620 and lived only 39 years. His short life was filled with the trials and afflictions of war. When he was just 23 years old he published a book of hymns and poems. One of those hymns has become a favorite in the English language: Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord.
In spite of experiencing the difficulties of life he is able to boldly proclaim:
Let the earth now praise the Lord,
Who has truly kept His word
And at last to us did send
Christ, the sinner’s help and friend.
No matter what has broken your heart, Christ is your help and friend. How wonderful and marvelous it is that God has kept His word of promise given through the prophet Isaiah.
Knowing that Heinrich Held lived during a time of turmoil and war, the fourth stanza of his hymn is particularly moving.
As Your coming was in peace,
Quiet, full of gentleness,
Let the same mind dwell in me
Which is Yours eternally.
Like Heinrich Held you may face devastating circumstances in life, but like him may your life be filled with the joy and peace of Christ this Advent and always.
Pastor Quardokus
No comments:
Post a Comment