As we celebrate Christmas and approach the end of 2021 and the start of 2022, I want to share a word of encouragement with you. One part of the original Christmas history that is not often given a lot of attention comes from the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 2: 13 …an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” The son of God was born and made flesh in the midst of horrible darkness and evil. So as you consider the global and wide scale sin and evil this year, and as you consider your own personal darkness and sin, whatever that may be, take hope the Emmanuel, God With Us was born in the midst of pain to redeem us from sin. A couple years ago I was lamenting a number of places of pain in the lives of people I loved and cared about during Advent. Out of that time, I wrote a song based on Matthew 2 called “Rachel’s Lament.” I pray that the words of this song give voice to your prayers to God this Christmas and into the new year. Rachel’s Lament (Come to Us) Music & Lyrics by Matt Pooley, December 2018 VERSE 1 The Savior of the world Born to a trembling little girl Within a week, the king will kill them all They must run or fall A voice heard in the streets Beneath the snow a mourning mother weeps The hand of Herod took her infant child How can this be Christmas time? CHORUS Emmanuel, Lord, come to us The songs of angels not enough Oh Jesus who was born in pain, To weary souls, Lord, come again VERSE 2 A father on the run Crossing borders just to save his son A frightened mother clutching baby boy How can this be Christmas joy? CHORUS BRIDGE We’re crying in the night To see your Christmas light Come and make things right VERSE 3 The night that Christ was born A massacre was coming on the dawn Though times have changed, we need Him all the same God, be born into our pain CHORUS
