The King is Coming - Merry Christmas, Darling
One Year Bible: Dec. 25
Zechariah 8:1-23
The King is Coming: Merry Christmas, Darling
“Merry Christmas, Darling; I wish I were with you.”-- Karen Carpenter
At Christmas time, the iconic sounds of Karen Carpenter still fill the airwaves playing in store after store. Her voice was undescribably pure, comforting, and somewhat sad…
She was literally an Icon in music in the ’70s and the ’80s. She was beautiful beyond belief, successful, and overflowing with humble talent. Karen began as a drummer, not a singer. Her brother, Richard, was the “family pick” to be a music icon. His mother supported Richard with heart and soul. Karen… not so much!
It was complicated. Then again, it always is…
Her family was from a Methodist background, and she grew up singing in the church.
Richard blocked Karen’s musical endeavors and put himself in the middle. She was not selected to sing by Richard but through other sources who saw her as “A Star” when they heard her voice. They wanted to pull her out from behind the drums as she was only 5’4 in height. I am pretty sure Richard was fine with her being hidden back there, but they wanted “HER,” not “HIM.”
The music business can be rather cruel, not to mention families!
In spite of her amazing gift, Karen never seemed to look into the mirror and see the good in herself. Her mother, brother, and her own high expectations left her seeing “Something Less”...
Richard went into rehab for an addiction to Quaaludes, and Karen struggled with Anorexia to the extent that she was hospitalized and fed intravenously to keep her alive. She had gone down to a low 90 pounds. She went through extensive family therapy.
Sources tell of her being so frail and unable to receive family words or affirmation of love, which she desperately craved.
Karen married, and her marriage lasted for a short 14 months. She filed for divorce while in the rehab center. The pain of marriage somehow overshadowed the pain of imminent divorce.
At the age of 32, with all of the world ahead of her, Karen Carpenter died from a heart attack related to Anorexia Nervosa. She died on the day that she was to have signed the final divorce papers. Certainly, her heart couldn’t take more rejection.
Her voice was the ultimate voice of Christmas joy, but sadly she lacked that very joy. She looked into a mirror that was CRACKED, and it CRACKED her!
Her first and only single was called “Looking For Love.” How appropriate and how tragic!
Disappointment. Disillusionment. Dysfunction…Those words sadly do not just belong to the tragic life of Karen Carpenter! They are the words of all mankind.
Those words describe the entire Old Testament. God sought them and somehow always managed to look into the face of a “Cracked Mirror” or idol, leaving them coming up short.
So, God not only SOUGHT them, He BOUGHT them.
They were “LOOKING FOR LOVE,” and He prepared the way to SEND that LOVE to them.
Zechariah 8:1-23 tell us, “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: My LOVE for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem.”
Zechariah goes on to tell them that the LORD of Heaven's Armies is “Planting seeds of peace and prosperity among His people.” (8:12)
God says, “Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So, don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!” (8:13)
Karen Carpenter sang the words, “Merry Christmas, Darling,” but tragically, she never felt like anyone’s darling!
What about you? When the presents are unwrapped today, and the piles of paper are left “IN A WAD,” will you be “IN A WAD”?
God's message is, “My love for you is passionate and strong.”
God sent his one and only begotten son, "The Darling of Heaven," to make you “HIS DARLING”!
So, Merry Christmas, Darling!
“Worthy is the Lamb, seated on the throne. Crown You now with many crowns, You reign victorious. High and lifted up, Jesus, Son of God. The darling of Heaven crucified. Worthy is the Lamb.”
(Worthy is the Lamb, Darlene Zschech)
