(Photo by Selma Komisky)

An Easter Song For A Christmas Season

By Marta Oliveras

“For my eyes have seen Your Salvation.”

– Luke 2:30

Though my pace is slow, time does seem to fly, and yes, Christmas is here again! I find myself at this crazy intersection between global happenings and my trajectory, in what honestly feels much like the eye of a hurricane. Around me, there is a fast chaotic movement of a multitude of things I can’t understand. But here, where I am, time is still. Clouded by all kinds of debris and completely powerless towards my surroundings. I shift my gaze upwards and “I hear the Savior say ‘Thy strength indeed is small! Child of weakness, watch and pray; find in Me thine all in all’” (1).

What a relief! The words are not mine but they are precious gifts to me. They were written by Mrs. Elvina Hall during a Sunday Morning Service, sometime back in 1874. Perhaps she found herself in a kind of a hurricane eye on that day, and right there in the moment, wrote down these beautiful lines that later on were given a tune. The hymn is truly about the gift of salvation, that none of us could ever buy or work for… I stop right here. I answer the Saviors call, I watch and pray, “And soon ‘Lord now indeed I find Thy power and thine alone, can change the leper’s spots and melt the heart of stone’” (1).

There are things God alone can do. They were called miracles back then, and they are called miracles today. For just like only He could have parted the Red Sea waters, exactly at the perfect time that allowed Israel to cross and Egypt to drown… also only He could take my heart and melt it with His love. And that’s nothing short of a miracle… Only He can satisfy and clean my soul from all the dark spots… With this conviction, I carry on. I watch and pray, “For nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim – I’ll wash my garments white in the blood of calvary’s Lamb” (1).

At this point, all I can remember is Mary, Lazarus’ sister, basically living at the feet of Jesus in total reverence. And just like her, with a grateful heart, I carry on, living this saved life that in all its dimensions still baffles me… for the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world (2). And from eternity to eternity, one day, “When before the throne I stand in Him complete, ‘Jesus died my soul to save,’ my lips shall repeat” (1).

As for now, the hurricane is up and wild, and I am here quiet and still. I couldn’t be more aware of my weakness, but I also couldn’t be more convinced of God’s omnipotence. Surely He is a God of miracles. I’ve seen some and believe I will see many more. Salvation is the biggest one. So in this Christmas season, I lift up an Easter song, with sights of snow that many are now blessed with. Come and sing along, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, Sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow” (1).

(1) Jesus Paid It All, by Elvina M. Hall

(2) Revelation 13:8 (KJV)