Innerdialects

#8,

Oh Lord God, may every man, woman 
and child receive Your Peace, Love &  Joy-  
in Faith that we are so very loved by You

🌷

Timi was upset. He didn’t want to be in shepherd’s worn out clothes for Advent Sunday Theme: Song for a Shepherd. Everyone’s choice was Timi. He didnt just sing like an angel, his voice has that little rasp in it, where tears can happen.

Timi secretly wished for some nice warm clothes this Season because he was cold.

Long story short, everyone decided that if Jesus were here to direct that 6 min. stage depiction of a Shepherd’s song, He’d have understood Timi, He’d have cared. Tim’s liquid brown eyes lit up like midnight stars when he saw his new warm white shirt and pants, new socks and shoes, a blanket to take home for his baby brother, who, it was decided, would play Baby Jesus on stage. Now this involved Timi’s Ma and Dad too, just in case the baby needed comfort. So, that was settled. Then the Song.

Someone suggested “Joy to the World,” and Ms.Pri said, “Actually that wasn’t written for a Manger. Isaac Watts meant that to herald the Advent of the returning Jesus.”

“What dyou mean the returning Jesus?” Anita Jana said from a corner of the crowding Sunday school little room behind the altar area. A bronze eagle on top of a shelf sat stoically through the silence that followed after Ms.Pri elaborated on Isaac’s intent and how the second Jesus was now factually more relevant than the first, and it was time for us all to let the little ones too know it could be any day now. And that days were very evil as it was. So hmm it was high time we faced the future, not 2025 years ago. Also who knew what more horrors 2026 would bring us all.

Bronze eagle glistened in our 12 am Indian sun slanting in. The light beamed off Pri’s long nose and Anita’s wide eyes. I didn’t think I needed to add to anything. This was a straightforward one act of a shepherd song. Once they approved, Timi and I would work in his lines, entries, all that. He was very very excited about baba Lamu being baby Jesus.

I don’t know what to say to well meaning folk deciding on lyrics, and sandwiches later, or who will handle sales. Yes though, Pri is right about it being strange Times going stranger. Anita, my dear friend with the grey eyes and dark henna hair, she is everyone’s friend, in that she does all she can to keep spirits up. If there’s a funeral, she grows wings, she’s there with food and visits. She’s the one who understood Timi best, and sorted that out about the shepherd’s costume.

Now the Song. My guess is they will decide on Isaac Watts. I googled and found out, yes! I mean, no. It wasn’t meant to be an Advent Manger song at all. Watts was welcoming back the Risen Saviour. Century ago, the man was lyricising on Kingdom come?! And it turns out to be the worlds #1 Christmas Song, loved and rendered by chorales world wide.

Couldn’t resist putting that out, specially because of what inspired Mr. Watts. Timi is a natural on stage, the baby will coo like a baby, Pri & Ani will be besties after this Season, like always. Who knows about 2026, but I’m drawn closer than ever before to the fact that my Lord Yeshua is nearer to our Planet now more than last year. I see His heart yearning for us in passages from Scripture and songs we do at devotions at home.

If you’re like me, I love December passionately, almost as much as Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. There’s something about Jesus. The more you think on Him, the more He draws you in to His Mind. Watts understood and delivered in the word, “Joy”.

I’ve performed on stage, done some theater, written, directed, but this year my heart is a Silent night – that quiet night pregnant with Good News. All is calm, bright. Bright as the tears in a Baby’s eyes. I could do less of worry-forecasts for sure, so am tuning out bad news much as possible. “How beautiful the feet of those who bring In The Good News!”

If you’ve read this far, thank you. May Jesu visit your home as if for the first time, asking room to rule. There’s something about a first time, first love; the air is fresh, sweet with anticipation and breathlessness. The time I first received Jesus as my personal Saviour out loud, was on the Logos Ship visiting India. We were in the east at that time, Odisha, (where the GrahamStaines incident took place much later).

Back when I first understood about Jesus and how He wasn’t just the orange & white stained -glass shepherd in the tiny church every Sunday, He was as real as the beat of my heart…. I was wild with Joy, accepted by heaven, loved by the Father. Christmases were, are, these fascinating times when the past, present and future mingle in a Joy that cradles yesterday’s Manger beginnings, in today’s night watches & tomorrow’s Dawn, when He will return. The older I get, the more these three time-zones run together, all for Sacred pursuit of human well-being.

What a special warm fuzzy feeling it is to be reminded of the Greatest Love Story. I write these Posts here from incidents that assemble like messages from the One Who lives to draw us closer to His Heart, for Kingdom purpose. “For such a Time as this we were born.” (Book of Esther. the Bible).

This Advent, I’m thinking of what Heaven is like, and that knowing Him, celebrating the act of that first Christmas, is a taste of heaven already, right here. Gentle Shepherd of my Soul, may these next few days bring in Your Touch like never before in the life of a dear Reader, and all of us.

I wish you Joy! Emmanuel, God with us. Blessed Advent.

~Rayla