Come in Joy

 

Last Sunday, our children did the preaching. They asked, “Who is Coming to our House?” (using the words of the beautiful picture book by Joseph Slate and Ashley Wolff). Who is coming to our house? In some ways, this year, we may want to answer… no one. No one is coming to our house. We can’t have guests. We cannot gather inside a warm, beautiful, dimly-lit sanctuary and feel the vibrations of one another’s singing and the passing of light from one to another. But in spite of that, someone is coming. Jesus comes whether we are ready or not. Jesus comes to meet you, each one, right where you are – in grief, in loneliness, in contentment, in calm – whatever your feelings, Jesus sits beside you… as the children said on Sunday, adapted from another beautiful children’s book (A Child is Born by Floyd Cooper)

Come, wise ones, to worship right there in your home

God is here, among us, to keep safe and warm.

Come, little ones, O look and see

God smiles up at you from dear Mary’s knee.

God is with us with deepest love to heal what is broken, to remove all oppression, to fill what is empty. God is with us bringing unexpected gifts – both the gifts that come in grocery bags and gift-wrapped boxes and the gifts that are not things. God is with us – even this year, especially this year – God draws near. Let’s listen to some of our children tell us once again:

A Child is Born, adapted from Margaret Wise Brown

So come, you who are shepherds, O follow the light.

And welcome Jesus this blessed night.

Come, wise ones, to worship right there in your home

God is here, among us, to keep safe and warm.

O come, wild birds      Descend, gentle dove

And angels from heaven to give Christ your love.

Come, little ones, O look and see

God smiles up at you from dear Mary’s knee.

Come in joy, come in peace, please come right away

Jesus is born to you this Christmas day.

 

Amen, amen, amen.