God With Us

My heart aches and my eyes brim every time I think about the small children who died on Friday in their own classrooms.  I just despair.  It's all just so WRONG, WrOnG, wrong.  And then I think about how abhorrent their deaths are simply because they are such innocent little things ... which calls to my mind another innocent unfairly crucified here on Earth - the same innocent one we celebrate this time of year.  Both heartbreaking images leave me breathless and reminded again that this world is not our home.

Ohhhh, it's just so wretched and unthinkable.  My brain wants to implode.  I find myself keening as I imagine the parents' grief, as I imagine the same terrible thing forced on my own precious babies, as I imagine how I would rather die than face such agonizing, heart-wrenching, killing loss.  Oh, God.  Oh my God.  What to do?

I can only claw myself out of the sadness when I crawl into my Lord's presence instead by praising Him - praising the One my very soul longs for all the more in response to the ugliest evidence of the brokeness of this world.  Today's praise song I distract myself with is a new holiday tune: God with Us by Jeremy Camp.  Try listening without lifting your hands in praise.



Hallelujah, the King has come  
Beautiful Savior, God's own Son  
Hallelujah, the Christ is here  
So rejoice, for our salvation's near
 
Emmanuel, our humble King  
We give you our hearts as an offering  
You laid down your crown  
And became as dust 
Emmanuel, God with us
 
Hallelujah, the angels sang  
To certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay  
Hallelujah, the world will see 
The fullness of His majesty

Emmanuel, our humble King  
We give you our hearts as an offering  
You laid down your crown 
And became as dust 
Emmanuel, God with us
 
Oh, come all ye faithful, our God is here  
Joyful triumphant, salvation's near  
Oh, come and behold our King  
Come and behold Him
 
Emmanuel, our humble King  
We give you our hearts as an offering  
You laid down your crown  
And became as dust  
Emmanuel, Emmanuel  
God with us