We sang “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” last Sunday morning as we prepared for communion. It is one of those fabulous minor chord carols that goes great on a cold winter night wrapped in a blanket or getting warm around a fire. It feels so good to feel so bad believing that something so good is about to break forth. This is the same sort of suspense and tension that connects with the Lord’s Table.

Israel rejoiced in lonely exile. Spirits are cheered not by avoiding death’s dark shadows but by the advent, by the coming of the Light who put those shadows to flight. He who is Wisdom comes to order the global disorder. The Desire of the nations bids envy, strife, and quarrels cease. He is the eternal I Am in a body. He shines truth in liars’ hearts. He gives everlasting life to men made mortal.

So do we mourn or rejoice? Do we sorrow or celebrate? Do we commemorate what He has done, promises already fulfilled, or do we rehearse what He will do, promises remaining to be fulfilled? Are more things not right than right, or more right than not, or will be right but aren’t now? Yes.

The I Am, the everlasting One, tasted death for every man (Hebrews 2:9). He who is defined as the living God gave His life so that we could have life, His life, eternal life. So whatever your suspsense this Christmas season, or during communion on Sunday, if you have Christ, then rejoice, rejoice.