by DanWolgemuth on December 20, 2024
Madison, Wisconsin. Another tragedy. Another unthinkable act of evil.
Our heart aches.
Lives taken, futures impacted, the poison of hatred unleashed.
Into the chaotic mix, into the swirl of uncertainty, first responders were asked to engage. They entered danger on purpose.
We hear the stories frequently. As a civilian, I often take safety and security for granted.
Now, with another vivid example, I express my deep gratitude to those who set aside their personal wellbeing for the sake of others. Sometimes with a weapon drawn, and sometimes with a firehose. Sometimes at an accident scene, and sometimes with an active threat.
First responders. A gift to a civil society. For the common good. Sacrificial living for the sake of others.
In the ancient middle east, the people of Israel waited, and watched. Not for a uniformed officer, but for a Messiah. A rescuer. A liberator. A protector.
A cosmic first responder.
Jesus. Our example of service, sacrifice, commitment and love.
He left His own safety to provide hope for the hopeless. To confront the powers and presence of evil. Personally.
Incredibly, not only did He face evil, but those He came to save rejected Him as well. A remedy dismissed. A rescuer ridiculed. A savior condemned.
Even so, He persisted. Love does what a calling requires. Even against the backdrop of injustice.
Into
the fray.
Because we made a mess of what He gave us to steward. Because we were incapable
of saving ourselves.
Christmas. The wait is over.
Our ultimate first responder.
Not because we deserved His mercy. But because of His love and obedience to His
Father…
Jesus entered. Jesus came.
His weapon, grace. His motivation, love. His plan, redemption. His goal,
restoration.
Christmas. Because there was and is an active threat.
Jesus. Our only hope. Our guiding light.
In His mercy. He came.
To every first responder, we owe a debt of gratitude. To Christ, we owe our
very lives.
A sobering word for Christmas. A solemn reminder of what our brokenness
requires. This is the only way to find hope in the chaos. Yes, joy in the
season…
Rescued.
By Jesus.
by DanWolgemuth on December 13, 2024
Handel’s Messiah. The masterpiece. The classic. The timeless wonder of musical art. The Mona Lisa for our ears.
As is often the case, there is a story behind the story, and that is profoundly true for this brilliant piece of music. Obviously, Handel was a vital part of the creation of this work, but his focus was on the music.
The lyrics for this piece are attributed to holy scripture (Isaiah, Malachi, Luke, Zechariah, Matthew and John), but the assembly, order, and architecture of the words are credited to Charles Jennens.
Somehow, I’ve overlooked this fact until this year. Jennens pieced the words together around 1740. Once assembled he contacted Handel about putting the lyrics to music. Once Handel had agreed to depart from his typical Italian Opera format, it took him merely twenty-seven days to complete the rough draft of the music. The Messiah was birthed. September 1741. Then played in Dublin for its premier.
Now that I possess the knowledge that rounds out my understanding of the piece, I don’t think I’m in danger of calling it Jennens Messiah any time soon. However, Charles Jennens’ contribution to the masterpiece is critical. In fact, central.
Charles Jennens came from a wealthy English family, which didn’t insulate him from challenges and pain. The death of a brother, and a persistent battle with depression weighed heavily on him. As a follower of Christ, this burden drew him to Scripture. And it was from the Word of God that he assembled the order that we associate with The Messiah.
What makes this deeply compelling and vividly personal is that the first words that are sung in the piece come from Isaiah 40. “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God”.
Jennens begins the lyrics with an anchor in the bedrock of faith in God. Comfort. A confidence that our circumstances don’t dictate the posture of our heart. The words were as confessional as they were Biblical. Comfort for a troubled and tangled soul, and an admonition to do the same for others… “Comfort ye my people!”
Comfort.
Not
an absence of pressure or problems, but peace and stability. A smooth soul on a
rough sea.
And while Handel’s music inspires me, Jennens’ excerpts from scripture
transform me.
This is God, speaking to us. This is our Creator, speaking to His creation.
Comfort.
Not at the end of our trouble, but at the beginning. Not as the crescendo at
the conclusion of the piece, but as the prelude to God’s promise to be with us,
in the flesh. Always. In whatever we face.
Embedded, not superficial. Comfort.
I need this word. I need this hope. I need this commitment from God. Now.
No contingencies. No prerequisites.
The Apostle Paul captures it best…
“Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God
of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able
to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God.”
Comfort received. Then comfort extended.
This is why The Messiah is The Messiah.
For Charles Jennens in 1740, and timelessly today.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah… hallelujah.
