CDPunt(igam) Writes

Light the first two candles (hope and peace)

Story: Prisoner 4479 has been here for as long as anyone can remember. No one even remembers what they did to be imprisoned, but their sentence is for life. They never have any visitors and don’t have access to the yard. They have to take their meals in their cell. The only time they get out is to shower or to see the chaplain. And yet, every night, you can hear Prisoner 4479 singing. You can hear them lifting up songs of praise. If you take a peek inside their cell, scriptures are scribbled on the walls, and the only book they have is a Bible. If you were to meet Prisoner 4479, you would probably say they are one of the happiest people you’ve ever met. One of the guards once asked how they can be so happy when their life was so limited. Prisoner 4479 sang in response, “Surely, it is God who saves me; I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, and he will be my Savior.”

Light the third candle (Joy)

Scripture: Isaiah 12: 2-6 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
NIV: New International Version

Thoughts: Like Prisoner 4479, we can find ourselves in situations that seem bleak and without much hope for anything changing in the future. One of the funny things about tough times is that the situation doesn’t have to change in order for our hearts to change. Jesus is called Emmanuel, which, when translated, literally means God with us. And even though we’d love to have God rescue us from every hardship and difficulty, we can rest in the reality that God is with us no matter what’s going on in our lives. And God is with those that we love that are going through tough times, too. God didn’t just come for those that go to church every Sunday and memorize scripture verses for fun. God also came for the prisoners that are danger to society and the grumpy neighbor that would just as easily flip you the bird as a wave at you. God is with all of us. We just have to take a moment and draw from the wells of salvation. We may not be joyful when we start, but once we taste that reality that God is with us, joy will overflow. And once joy overflows, it will be impossible to keep it to yourself, even if you’re the grumpy neighbor in question.

Questions: Have you ever found yourself imprisoned by the world and come face to face with the Lord? What areas of your life do you find yourself looking for God’s strength and defense? If you were to shout and sing for joy, how would it sound or what would you sing about?

Songs: O Come Emmanuel or if you know the tune, Surely It Is God Who Saves Me.

Challenge: Try to bring joy to someone’s life. Whether it be a simple act of making eye contact and smiling at a stranger. Or paying for someone’s groceries at the store. Or inviting a friend you haven’t seen in a while to go out for coffee.