Love the Lyrics - O Holy Night
"...and in His name all oppression shall cease…”
Murray City had a lovely Christmas sing-along event Tuesday night, primarily to sing the beloved Christmas carols brought from England from William Robinson in the mid 20th century - beloved almost exclusively by Murray kids.
We also sang “O Holy Night” - and as we sang about Jesus being born to be our friend and slave, we sang those words above, and this one line caught in my throat and heart.
Because seriously, there is so very much oppression in this world today. Can’t you feel it?
Everywhere you look, someone wants to control someone else. Petty, frightened, wounded humans scrabble to control other petty, frightened, wounded humans rather than get after the business of learning to control themselves.
On the world stage, tyranny threatens to oppress globally. Petty, frightened, wounded wannabe despots sell their plans to control the world as a beautiful utopia - a world where sustainable equity has finally been achieved. All the while, they really plan to place themselves atop their well-ordered society, their fellow humans beneath them in privilege and property.
And how do they gain the control necessary to place themselves on top to oppress? By hurling their own motives in the faces of those who oppose them - as accusations of oppression! Apparently, it’s oppression to the oppressor - to have an opinion of not wanting to be oppressed.
There’s even tyranny in individual homes, as petty, frightened, wounded individuals hold their families hostage to meet their needs, never considering the cost to free will and good will in their relationships.
In the end, isn’t that where tyranny comes from? Petty, frightened wounded humans seeking some control in a world completely beyond their control.
What every petty, frightened wounded human must learn is that there is only one cure for their human disease of control lust - Jesus Christ. In His name - eventually - ALL oppression will cease.
Here’s what I love about Jesus - He is the complete opposite of a tyrant. There is zero desire to control.
The scriptures prophesy of the return of Jesus Christ who will some day - soon, I pray! - depose the usurper and take His place as the true King of this earth.
He will rule and reign with absolutely zero force. His power comes from His great love penetrating those petty, frightened, wounded hearts. The hearts who freely receive that love and choose Him will create the beautiful, well-ordered utopia by ruling and reigning over themselves, and allowing everyone else to do the same.
No need to force anyone.
No need for a King to force anyone.
In the name of Jesus Christ ALL oppression will cease, because those who receive His redeeming love will stop oppressing. They will emulate the example of the Master who forces no one.
The Master who taught this lesson by loving and serving and sacrificing Himself.
Humans will have learned to control the only thing in this universe they CAN control - the thing they have actually been assigned to control.
Themselves.
When He returns, the ONE forced action of every human will be to acknowledge His sovereignty as the literal Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of this fallen world. And Jesus won't even force that; His power and glory will be so manifest as to compel every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that He is the Christ - the Holy One of Israel, the chosen Messiah.
“If you sense that one day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, why not do so now? For in the coming of that collective confession, it will mean much less to kneel down when it is no longer possible to stand up!” (Neal A. Maxwell, "Why Not Now?" General Conference, October 1974)(https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1974/10/why-not-now?lang=eng)
Till He gets here - my work is clear - learn to control just me - and honor your right to control just you.
As we go in HIS name - all oppression will cease.
And only in His name.
"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Corinthians 3:17)
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