a song. a song. high above the trees.

So long, Moses
Hello, Promised Land
It was a long, long road
But your people are home
So long, Moses

Hello, Joshua
Goodbye, Canaanites
We're coming to town
Twelve tribes and no crown
No crown, Oh Lord

We want a king on a throne
Full of power, with a sword in his fist
Will there ever be, ever be a king like this?

*******************************

I'll be the first to admit that when I was a music major, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I was one of the most uptight people you'll probably ever know. And any musician east of the Mississippi knew that the best way to get a quick anxiety attack out of me was to play any major scale and leave out that last resolution. You can hear it now, can't you? All the way up to that 7th and then...

nothing.
Just leave it hanging.
*palms up. mouth open.*

People would do it any time they so much as heard me laughing outside a classroom or walking down the practice room hallway. And when it happened, for the first few million years they did it to me, I'd just have to rush to the nearest instrument and play that last note. I couldn't stand it.

Then at some point there came a day that I put two and two together. Turns out, I can actually sing. Weird, right? For a vocal education major...

Nonetheless, it occurred to me that rather than rush to an instrument to play that final note and give myself a little room to move forward, I could just sing it.

So I did.

Every time.

I still do this quite often.

Just a note for those of you who may have heard me just hum one pitch at any given point, there's a good chance I heard something that didn't resolve on its own. So I resolved it. Feel free to judge and diagnose at will. I'm okay with it.

But something has happened within the most recent years...

I'm actually starting to enjoy the open-ended-ness of an unresolved scale...the fading into the air of that last little frayed edge...

the expectation of a resolution...

The advent, if you will...

*******************************

Hello, Saul
First king of Israel
You were foolish and strong
So you didn't last long
Goodbye, Saul

Hail, King David
Shepherd from Bethlehem
Set the temple of God
In mighty Jerusalem

You were a king on a throne
Full of power, with a sword in his fist
Has there ever been, ever been a king like this?
Full of wisdom, full of strength, the hearts of the people are his
Hear, O Israel, was ever there a king like this?

*******************************

I've been thinking these past few weeks about that night in Bethlehem... unclean and dark. Probably cold. And Mary... so young. Even thinking about it now, I shudder and tear up at the sheer horror of giving birth to a baby without my mother next to me -- giving birth without any clear understanding of what apparently cosmic-sized plan for humanity this pain is part. It would have to be part of a plan, right? The darkness, the ache, the tears, and the sweat... such pain. Such blood.

so
much
blood.

tell me it's part of a plan.

tell me it will land...

*******************************

That last push.

Was the universe completely still?
Did the earth take that one agonizing, deep breath with her?

tell me.
i beg you.
tell me there's a plan.

Did the angels cover their mouths and raise their eyebrows in anticipation?
Were they holding hands and suppressing fear-shattering laughter?

*******************************

it's almost time.
Hope is coming for me.

*******************************


Hello, prophets
The kingdom is broken now
The people of God
Have been scattered abroad
How long, O Lord?

So speak, Isaiah
Prophet of Judah
Can you tell of the One
This king who's going to come

Will he be a king on a throne
Full of power with a sword in his fist?
Prophet, tell us will there be another king like this?
Full of wisdom, full of strength,
The hearts of the people are his
Prophet, tell us will there be
another king like this?

And Isaiah said:

"He'll bear no beauty or glory
Rejected, despised
A man of such sorrow
We'll cover our eyes

He'll take up our sickness
Carry our tears
For his people
He will be pierced

He'll be crushed for our evils
Our punishment feel
By his wounds
We will be healed."

"From you, O Bethlehem
Small among Judah
A ruler will come
Ancient and strong."

-Andrew Peterson "So Long, Moses"

**Note: If you do not own or have not heard the entirety of Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God Christmas album, do not delay. Purchase it. Listen to it the whole way through.

I mean that.