Expect the Unexpected (by Thom)

I came home from the mission office Friday and Amanda and Jeanette were wrapping up some cooking. They were baking brownies and apple bread and as they finished I tried talking with Jeanette a little, both to get to know her a little better and to work on my French. I asked her for her favorite Christmas song sung in Bambara. She told me that she normally sings her Christmas songs in French, so I asked her favorite song in French. She told me that she couldn’t pick just one. She then (unfairly!) asked me my favorite. However, for me this is easy. It’s not a well known song or traditional. Andrew Peterson wrote it and released it on his album “Behold the Lamb of God”. The song is called “So Long Moses” (click for the lyrics) and chronicles Israel’s struggles knowing they are a different people, set apart my God, but wanting to hold their place among the realm of men.
The nation of Israel decides it needs a king. Here is the chorus:

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?

As the song tracks through the history of God’s people it goes from Moses to Joshua to Saul to David to the broken kingdom. At this point the people have had a taste of a strong king (David) but believe God has something bigger for them. They’re right, of course, but not in the way they expected. At the end of the song they ask Isaiah about the coming King. He answers (from Isaiah 53):

"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."

As I explained this song to Jeanette (in French, of course) I realized I had never spoken with such passion in a foreign language before. Christ came, and came in a way we didn’t expect. Instead He came as a much greater king then we even imagined! Jeanette was really interested in the song and I was so grateful that I could relay it to her. If you haven’t heard the song, I encourage you to find it, but know I’m biased! Andrew Peterson is my favorite singer/songwriter.

Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noël!