Daily Word of Grace # 191 (December 8, 2020)
The final song on U2’s 2004 album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is “Yahweh,” a prayer of praise and surrender to God. Bono sings: “Take these shoes click-clacking down some dead end street. Take these shoes and make them fit. Take this shirt, polyester white trash made in nowhere. Take this shirt and make it clean, clean. Take this soul stranded in some skin and bones. Take this soul and make it sing, sing. Yahweh, Yahweh, always pain before a child is born. Yahweh, Yahweh, still, I’m waiting for the dawn.” “Yahweh” is an Old Testament names for God. The name “Jesus” actually means “Yahweh saves”—so that in Jesus Christ Yahweh indeed makes your shoes fit, cleans your shirt, and makes your stranded soul sing. The gospel is good news for those still dealing with “pain before the child is born” and good news for those still “waiting for the dawn.” For as we will celebrate anew this Christmas and sing in “Silent Night”, Jesus’ birth signifies the “dawn of redeeming grace” because “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all” (Titus 2:11)—including you.
Love and Prayers,
Dave