Reason to Celebrate

Advent: Reason to Celebrate

God is not capricious. He does not change from day to day. What He has said yesterday is true today and through all time. He is never looking for a way to punish His people. He is consistent in telling them what to do and how to do it. He wants to guide us in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. When we sin, and we all sin, He has provided a means for our sins to be forgiven. As we walk through this sin sick world, we need to remember that God is gracious and at the same time is not going to simply overlook our sinful behavior.

The people of Israel are a constant reminder of God’s grace, and at the same time of God’s holiness and His standards that we cannot simply ignore. The people of Israel lauded Him one day and cursed Him the next. So, He gave them the Ten Commandments and they all said, “Good, now we know what you want us to do.” Then, while Moses was having a conversation with God on the mountain, they rebelled against every one of His laws they had just promised to keep.

That is too often our behavior. We are sinners and only by God’s grace are we saved. That is the reason for celebrating the Advent season. In His grace He gave us Jesus. We need Him and that is why God sent Him. If we ignore His grace, we remain lost in our sins. But God sent us a Savior and we praise Him for that.

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

James Montgomery

1820

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed, Great David’s greater Son!

Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun

He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free

To take away transgression and rule in equity.

He comes with succor speedy, to those who suffer wrong

To help the poor and needy and bid weak be strong

To give them songs for sighing, their darkness to turn to light

Whose souls, condemned and dying, are precious in His sight.