Triumph.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful... Joyful and Triumphant!

I love the word triumphant! Don't you? It sounds powerful! It sounds successful. It sounds like a Braveheart movie! And though I am not a man, there is something that grabs my attention and respect when I watch the story of Sir William Wallace, even without the romance.

This is one of the Christmas carols I used to get tired of. We sing it every year and it plays on the radio over and over again in December. But as I listened a little closer this past Christmas season, my curiosity peeks at the invitation. It's a call to the faithful. The triumphant. The joyful.

And honestly, my first reaction is to run and hide! This song cannot possibly be about me, right? Look at my past... I am not faithful; I have tons of unbelief! Look at the present, I often lack joy. And triumph? I am not William Wallace by any means.

Psalm 47:1 tells us to "shout unto God with a voice of triumph." A familiar yet equally curious call. Colossians 2:15 says Jesus "triumphed over the spiritual powers and authorities on the cross."  Maybe the answer and the power lies in someone who triumphed before me, and holds out an invitation to triumph yet.

Come, let us adore Him.

Oh, Come

Recently, I was asked the question, "What are your favorite hymns?" As I thought, I realized that my favorite hymns all have a common theme:

"COME"

"Oh come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant..."

"Oh come, Oh come, Emmanuel.  And ransom captive Israel..."

"Come ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded sick and sore, Jesus ready stands to save you..."

"Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace..."

"Oh come, let us adore him. Christ the Lord..."

Whether it is our cry toward Christ to come and save, or it is Christ's call toward us to come and die, the invitation to act and move in the direction of Christ is a common thread of hope in our journey.  

Come, Lord Jesus.