Weary

Lately, I have been really listening to the lyrics of famous Christmas songs rather than simply letting the familiar tunes fade into the background of my mind. One of my favorites is 'O Holy Night.' I absolutely love if it is sung in a large group of people--when all the people sing the line "fall on your knees" it sends chills down my spine. But this Christmas I have been dwelling upon a different line,  "a weary world rejoices."If you have been reading my recent posts I think you can tell that I feel weary. As I have looked around me I have seen people who feel just as weary. Yesterday, my Advent devotional (I have been receiving emails from San Francisco Theological Seminary) was entitled Beautiful Feet. The passage used was  Isaiah 52:7-10. Verse 7 is the one that really spoke to me:"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'"The author of the devotional, Reverend Aimee Moiso, relays a story of her hike up Mt. Sinai in Egypt. She writes of tired, sore and cold feet which are seemingly in opposition to this concept of beautiful feet. However, she concludes that "there is something beautiful about the feet of the messengers on the mountains, the bearers of news so good they will put one dusty foot in front of the other for miles and miles to share it." What a lovely thought. Just as in the song 'O Holy Night,' these weary feet continue to go forth to tell of the good news, that God loves us so much that God has sent her only son to lay down his life so that we may have everlasting life. Just because we are weary does not mean we cannot rejoice!I think Reverend Aimee Moiso puts it beautifully stating, "the news is so good that disorientation and weariness and fear, while real, and not enough to stop the feet--the beautiful feet, step by trembling step, bringing the good news: yes, it is right to hope." Despite a weary soul, heart and weary feet it is right to hope and it is right to rejoice in that hope. Though we have a long way to go, we must continue to put one weary foot in front of another, let our hearts follow the beat of God's own heart (the San Fransisco Theological Seminary's Advent series' theme has been the heartbeat of God).In spite of my weariness I find that I can not only feel the heartbeat of God I can hear it, it is a steady beat that draws me further and further out--closer and closer to the One who loves me with an everlasting love. Sisters and brothers let us draw near to God, let us take our weary souls forth and rejoice!Though this world and our hearts are weary from so much hate, darkness, fear and violence there is still reason to hope and to rejoice. For faith, hope and love add light into this very dark world, giving our weary souls something to truly rejoice over!May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. May love be abundant in your life. And I pray that if you are weary, you are still capable of rejoicing.Peace, Joy, Blessings and SO MUCH LOVE,Margaret