My parents needed a caregiver when my mother returned to work. The daycare they lined up didn’t pan out. So, they placed a classified in the local paper. Louise Vaughn answered it. She was in her sixties and looking for work as she was recently widowed. I later learned her husband was in the hospital dying the day I was born.
Louise, or Nanny as I called her, was the sweetest woman. My parents actually considered her a Godsend. She felt the same way about us. We became family, and she cared for me until I went to preschool and then some. When I was older, my mother and I would take her out for dinner before driving around town to see local holiday lights. It was one of our New Year’s traditions until she passed away.
Thinking about her at this time of year, I began to remember some parts of our daily routine together. We would make biscuits from scratch most mornings, take walks around her neighborhood after lunch, and always made sure to watch The Price is Right every afternoon. I can still see her old television in my mind as participants were invited to “come on down” to guess the price of that first initial prize with Bob Barker on stage.
In light of the new year, I catch myself reflecting on Revelation 21:1-6, which is one of my favorite passages in all of scripture.
“(1) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. (2) And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
(3) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; (4) he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”
(5) And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (6) Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.”
A new heaven… a new earth… a new Jerusalem… all coming down…
How fortunate are we that our God comes down to dwell with us! That God, the Alpha and Omega, comes to us as a baby born in Bethlehem before the start of a new year. It’s the very definition of a Godsend. Our great need is met by the one who loves us, wipes away the tears from our eyes, and gives us needed water to drink. Indeed, come on down Lord Jesus. Come on down.
Gratefully,
- David
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