Long lay the world in sin…,

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope…

Cynthia Clawson’s Christmas album was recorded in New Mexico. Her producer found software that put her voice in major European cathedrals. As she sings O Holy Night, you can hear the sound delay as her voice echoes from wall to wall. As I listened to her magnificent voice with the unique, huge sound, the words carried meaning I don’t always hear.

I doubt that generally “the world lying in sin and error pining.” I didn’t see anyone in line at Walmart overcome with an awareness that it was their sinful status that Jesus came to earth to address. If research is accurate, the post-modern culture doesn’t think about personal sin very much, except to explain it away and discount it. Come to think of it, I wasn’t exactly weeping over my sin, either.

From whatever cathedral the voice was currently in, Ms. Clawson sang a truth into me. The acute desire is that our soul might feel its worth. During most of Advent my mind went to the huge market for encouragement. You and I are empowered to speak for Jesus as we announce to people in our areas of influence—“You have worth—you are valued! No matter the long litany of rejection and criticism, I see you as valuable.”

A friend described her Christmas Eve to us. She opted for a bar instead of a church service. At the close of the evening—“I’m feeling hope for the first time in a long time.” That’s not the last line of a story I would have written.

Til’ He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

Jesus appeared. He spoke. And through those who probably didn’t have a clue they were Jesus’ “conduit” they told someone they care about—“You have value. God didn’t make a mistake when He made you a living soul!”

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “I Want Your Presence for Christmas.”

 http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=9MC00MNU

The second verse says, “When the holiday is through, and the year is fresh and new….” I’m going to be on a diet and the house will be stripped bare of cookies. I promise you the one thing I want you and I to carry out of these days—the warmth of His presence and…

A thrill of hope.

It has a direct link to that miraculous assurance that we have worth—therefore, we have hope!

©2014 D. Dean Benton—http://www.bentonministries.com

Writer, Wonderer, Listener