Dear Desire of Every Nation, Joy of Every Longing Heart

Yesterday was Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin meaning "rejoice!" Churches who observe Advent with the lighting of a candle each week in the Advent wreath mark this joyful Sunday by lighting the rose-colored candle, and the scriptures for the day lean into that sense of rejoicing more than the weightier themes of judgment and repentance which are characteristic of the first two weeks of Advent.

The church service I attended on Gaudete Sunday was one of lessons and carols, beautifully led by the music ministry, and the final congregational carol was "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus."  For such a short hymn, it contains a great deal of theology. There's enough there to fuel several days of meditation and prayer, and the phrase that keeps coming back to me repeatedly is the one in which Charles Wesley addresses Jesus as the "dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart."

In a time when the refugee crisis shows no signs of abating and hearts and countries are closed to their suffering, when political animosity and deception are the rule of the day, and when the Church itself is rife with turmoil over the boundaries of love itself, it's difficult to see just how Jesus is the dear Desire of any nation or the Joy of any longing hearts.  Anxiety and despair are running rampant, and people are voting their fears rather than their hopes. Just what does Jesus have to do with any of that? What are we supposed to be rejoicing about?

It may seem naive to speak of joy in a season of sorrow, and we may want to write off Wesley as a dreamer or to scoff at the scriptures that call upon us to hope in God even when we are cast down and disquieted (Psalm 42:11), but not if we remember the circumstances in which their words were written.  Wars, tumult, political upheaval, poverty, sickness, hatred, idolatry, and hopelessness were part and parcel of the biblical world as well as eighteenth century Britain, and still there were faithful women and men who trusted in God even when they could not clearly see. Believing in God's past faithfulness and continuing to pray and praise and work in joyful expectation, they found solace and gave comfort to others, their hearts warmed by a Grace bigger than their sorrows and a Light brighter than their darkness. 

For them and for us, Jesus is long-expected, his coming long-awaited. He is the deepest desire and fullest joy we can imagine, and upon us all who walk in the shadow his light will shine, making us too into light by which others can clearly see God at work.  It has in fact already done so, and no depth of darkness can ever put it out.  So lift up your hearts, and rejoice. The Savior is nigh!