Brokenness and Joy

On Sunday, we sang, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” And then our worship leader reminded us that to truly understand the joy of Christmas, the weight of what God has done in this season, we must see the brokenness that sin has brought into this world.

Brokenness is obvious. Maybe you’ve experienced the death of a loved one, a personal failing, a dashed hope, or a besetting sin that you can’t seem to conquer. Broken family relationships, tangled finances, job loss, physical pain – the list can go on.

The joyful sounds of the season may be more than you can bear. You might even wonder if you could possibly somehow skip this Christmas.

Have you heard this Christmas song?

O come, all you unfaithful
Come, weak and unstable
Come, know you are not alone

O come, barren and waiting ones
Weary of praying, come
See what your God has done

O come, bitter and broken
Come with fears unspoken
Come, taste of His perfect love

O come, guilty and hiding ones
There is no need to run
See what your God has done

Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you

Songwriters: Bob Kauflin / Lisa Clow

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Lisa Clow, one of the lyricists of the song “O Come All you Unfaithful,” writes,

I was struggling. It had been a long year and a half. Finances were stressful, I miscarried twins, and on top of it, I was battling a deep relational bitterness. My church was having its annual service, where they kick off the Christmas season with carols and special songs, and I, for once, was not singing. I told them I wouldn’t be able to sing, but they didn’t know that I was too overcome with shame to stand on stage before my church.

That Sunday morning, I stood at my seat as they began to sing “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and the song’s first line just clobbered me. It hit me like a giant wave of guilt. 

O come all you faithful, joyful and triumphant!

I remember hearing those words and thinking, “I have been so unfaithful. My joy has dwindled, and I am a triumphant…failure.” And I didn’t sing the rest of the service.

I drove home, my mind still churning, “Is that really who is invited to come to Jesus? The faithful? The joyful? The triumphant? If so, then I am hopeless.” …

That evening, I had a strong conviction to write a song for myself and for the weary, the broken, and the ashamed.

Lisa Clow’s story

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There’s a line towards the end of the song that is our invitation today:

So come, though you have nothing
Come, He is the offering
Come, see what your God has done

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We come with nothing, no good have we done to merit what God is offering to us. Instead, He invites us to receive His gift of mercy and grace.

If your brokenness feels overwhelming today, I invite you to sit quietly in God’s presence because He is present with you. Christ was born to save us from our sins. All of them! He is a mighty savior who takes great delight in you, renewing you with His love. And He sings loudly, even shouting for joy over you!
(Zephaniah 3:17)

Prayer

Dear God, the Lamb who was given, slain for our pardon
Our God, who promises us peace
Forgive our sins, and restore the joy of our salvation
Let us hear joy and gladness again
So that we can sing aloud of Your righteousness
Being renewed by Your Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

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