For dark is light to You.
Depths are height to You.
Far is near, but Lord, I need to hear from You.
Be near - o God, be near.
O God of us, your nearness is to us our good.
- Shane and Shane, Be Near
Lately, I have tried to put myself in the shoes of the Israelites who lived around the time of Jesus' birth. What were they feeling? How desperately must they have longed for freedom. How exhausted must they have been from trying to fulfill the law themselves. The relief mixed with awestruck wonder they must have felt when, at last, their promised Messiah had come - only to be placed on a humble bed of straw to symbolize that he was, in fact, not only fully God but fully human.
As the earth groans.
Creation awaits in darkness.
Striving for a perfection we cannot achieve.
The time of need is now.
Oh God, be near.
Come. Dwell with us.
Be our Emmanuel.
But what child is this?
Helpless. Placed in a manger.
This is not a throne fit for a king -
Nor a cradle for newborn royalty.
How can this child set us free?
We have waited in expectation.
Could this be the one?
The promised Messiah, who will bring us peace.
Oh God, please be near.
- Cole Gossage, 2021
