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December 23, 2019
“Who Comes this Night”
 
by: Harrison DeHay
 
Song Link: https://youtu.be/6tQTT5Eujis

Isaiah 9: 2-7

This is one of my favorite songs during Christmas time. It’s a go-to in the DeHay house from Mom’s 6 disk CD changer to our Spotify playlist. The artist, James Taylor does a wonderful job painting a picture with his lyrics that align with words from the Prophet Isaiah. 

In the first verse of the song, Mr. Taylor sings about the visitors to the manger that night. I’ve always found it intriguing that he combines both the Kings and Shepherds in the same line. He ends the verse questioning: 

 
“Who sends this song upon the air
To ease the soul that’s aching?
To still the cry of despair 
And heal the heart that’s breaking”

I don’t know about you, but I believe there’s a reason that we hear the Kings and Shepherds together and the verse is wrapped up with that line. We all at one point have had or will have those feelings of despair or a broken heart, it doesn’t matter if we’re the Shepherd or the King. We question when will this sadness end and when will we find the light? This is echoed in Isaiah 9:2, where we read of people “walking in darkness...living in the land of deep darkness”. We’re not just talking literally living in the darkness (I’ll let who ever is writing about “Keep your Lamps Trimmed” take care of that) but also those of us who are lost. Maybe that’s lost in the sadness, depression, hopelessness, or worry, for each of us this can be different. 

However, we know that a child is to be born, and that child will bring an unfathomable greatness to our world. James Taylor sings, 
“Who comes this night, with humble heart
To give the fullest measure 
A gift of purest love to bring
What a good and worthy treasure”

Again, in Isaiah 9:6-7, we know the child is coming we know the power and the names given to a baby in the manger, that his kingdom will endure forever, and it’s the spirit of the Lord that will bring this about. We wait and wait in Advent for the coming of the child, and sometimes in our waiting we forget how wonderful a treasure the child in the manager truly is. 

I find myself being consumed by so much during the holidays, the seasonal brews, the holiday specials, and the Christmas decor. This last year during our trip to Europe my eyes were open to just how much I was being consumed. Every church we visited had a nativity and each one had an empty manger, and I couldn’t figure out why the babe was missing.  I asked my in-house theologian one day in Florence and she quickly quipped back, “Babe, Christ hasn’t been born yet” and it hit me. I devour the holiday festivities, but I often forget that good and worthy treasure that got me through the night. 

Reflection
Have you ever found yourself in that place of darkness? We need to realize that while that darkness is different in both matter and time for each of us, that there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

Prayer
Father God, we thank you for your child, the ultimate and purest gift. We are grateful for the hope you give us for the future, and the time you give us to sit and anticipate the goodness that is coming.  Help us to embrace the wait and know that immeasurable love is just around the bend.  

 
Harrison is a lecturer in the Communication Department at Baylor. He and his wife Ali live in the Sanger Heights Neighborhood with their dog Papí. He loves to cook, go to any Baylor sporting event, and watch the West Wing or a classic movie.
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