Broken Hallelujah
I downloaded a new Christmas album on my IPhone, Sunday
morning and over cereal I listened to the main reason I purchased the album. I
wanted to hear the group, Pentatonix, remake, Hallelujah, by Leonard Cohen. I
don’t believe I had ever heard the whole song, but the chorus is beautiful. I
listened, as very secular verses were sang to a chorus of Hallelujah. The song
brought tears to my eyes and then streaming down my face as I thought of people
searching for joy in other things. Searching for happiness and only finding
temporary pleasure. This, after some research, is some of what this song is
about. The artist wanted to show that, it is not just worship of God that can
bring a Hallelujah to someone. What his song said to me was that we have so
much work to do.
Later in church, I found myself reading from Philippians 2.
I felt that the two go together, somehow. While this song represents joy in
things of the world, this scripture gives us encouragement while on this earth
in the knowledge of and the relationship with Christ.
If then there is any encouragement
in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit,
If any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill
my joy by thinking the same way
, having the same love, sharing the
same feelings, focusing on one goal. 3 Do nothing out of
rivalry or conceit,
but in humility consider others as more important
than yourselves.
4 Everyone should look out not
only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2: 1-4
There is a line in the song mentioned above that says, “It
doesn’t matter what you heard, the holy or the broken hallelujah.” This line is
what made me begin to think of the world and sadness that it can bring. In the
fourth verse of the scripture above, Paul tells us to look out not only for our
own interest but also for everyone else. How often do we as, followers of
Christ, put the needs of others ahead of our own? Do we, do things without
expectation? Without hope of recognition? Looking for a way to shine above
others? In verse 3, Paul tells us to do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but
in humility.
Once a quarter, the team of people I work with goes out and
does something good for our community. Last month, we fed people waiting in
line for financial assistance and them we sorted donations for 2 hours. I found
myself disappointed that I was a few minutes late and missed out on the picture
that will be posted on our company internet. I should be disappointed in
myself. Those people were grateful for what we were doing and I, after all that
good, was disappointed over a picture. Now, I’m glad that I will not be in the
picture. It will be a reminder to focus on the task and not the recognition.
As followers of Christ, we have an example to live by.
Though we can never live up to Him. We are to love one another no matter where
we are in life. We are to love the sinner, because after all, we are all
sinners.
5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be used for His own advantage.[a]
7 Instead He emptied Himself
by assuming the form of a slave,
taking on the likeness of men.
And when He had come as a man
in His external form,
8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
9 For this reason God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
of those who are in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, [b]
to the glory of God the Father.
did not consider equality with God
as something to be used for His own advantage.[a]
7 Instead He emptied Himself
by assuming the form of a slave,
taking on the likeness of men.
And when He had come as a man
in His external form,
8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
9 For this reason God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
of those who are in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, [b]
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2: 5-11
Read verses 6 and 7 again and then pause and let it sink in.
The only person that has ever walked this earth that was equal to God, did not
consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. He,
instead, emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave. How powerful are
those verses. Now, read all of it, starting with verse one, again. Take a
moment to ponder what it is to be truly, Christ like?
Now, think about the line to the song that I referenced
above. Christ, hears our broken hallelujah’s just the same as He hears our holy
and reverent ones. The broken ones, are the ones that we, as His hands and feet
should be on the lookout for. The broken hallelujahs are from those that have
no hope and only short lived joy that comforts only as long as the feel good
moment they are in. People are broken and they run from us, because they are
afraid of judgement. They don’t want someone else telling them, they are wrong.
What they need is love. Love heals the broken and mends the defeated.
I ask you, to go back and read Philippians chapter 2 again.
Really search the scripture and figure out how you can humble yourself and
listen for the broken hallelujahs.
Father God, I thank you for the broken hallelujah that led
me to you. That in a moment of tears, I sought you and you were there to dry my
tears and give me eternal life. I pray, Father, that we don’t pass by those
that are in need. Help us to see the person and not the life-style. Help us to
love the person and look past the choices. Give a heart to love the broken.
Amen.
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