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DEVOTIONS FOR ADVENT 2017

O SING

to the

a

new

Lord

SONG Psalm 98:1

2017 ADVENT WORSHIP

This Advent Devotional explores the lyrics to and some of the history of Advent and Christmas hymns. I often sing the words to hymns without really hearing them, and these particular hymns are so rich in tradition and meaning.

Each day in this devotional, I focus on an Advent hymn. I’ll explore a portion of the lyrics, provide some history, context, or commentary about the hymn, reflect on how the themes in the hymn might be applicable to our own lives, and offer a short prayer. You may want to look in the hymnal or online to get even more information. My hope is that by examining the hymns in more depth, your heart will be freshly prepared for the coming of Jesus.

- Erin Duffy

FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2017

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

(Hymn 82)

“From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee” Charles Wesley wrote this hymn in 1744. According to sources, it was partially inspired by the class divide in Great Britain at the time.

Fears and sins are part of being human. Can we ever truly be released from them? From what fears do I need to be released? From what sins? In today’s culture, we are often fearful of not having enough—enough time, enough money, enough of the next cool thing. We are also afraid of not “being” enough—we worry about our families, our careers, and our spiritual lives. Do my friends think I’m a good parent? Have I made my parents proud of me? Am I where I should be professionally at this point in my life? And sins! If we think too much about our sins it feels hopeless. I don’t know about you, but I can’t even categorize or catalog my sins! There are too many! Pride, jealousy, anger, greed, and many more—sometimes all in one day! If God seeing me as worthy of love depends on my being without sin, it IS hopeless! Wesley’s words reach across the centuries to give voice to the frustration of being caught in cycles of fear and sin, and beg for what we all really want and need—REST. As beloved children of God we can rest. We can rest in the knowledge that we are cherished in spite of our imperfections, maybe even because of them. Whew! What a relief!

Prayer

Gracious God, Thank you for loving us even when we feel unworthy of your love. Help us to have the confidence to rest in the comfort of your love and care for us, and to radiate that confidence as we move through your beautiful world. Amen.

FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT

MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2017

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

(Hymn 82)

“Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart” Some scholars believe that these lines were inspired by 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal’s claim that “there is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person that cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator.”

What a lovely image—an emptiness that can only be filled by God! What am I trying to fill my emptiness with? A big ol’ “to do” list? The latest hot series on Netflix? A glass of wine? When my kids were toddlers they would tell me that they didn’t know what they wanted, but they knew they wanted SOMETHING. We all want something and, while the pleasures of this world are gifts from God, they are not God. They cannot console me or bring me true joy. Only the God that Christians know in Jesus Christ can do that.

Prayer

Loving God, We give thanks that you know the yearning we have for you, even when we don’t know it ourselves or we try to fill it with tasks and things. We are grateful that you long for us as we long for you, and that you never give up on us. Amen.

FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2017

My Soul Cries Out With a Joyful Shout ( Hymn 100)

“Though I am small, my God, my all, you work great things in me, and your mercy will last from the depths of the past to the end of the age to be.”



This hymn is much more recent, having been published in 1990. It is also called “Canticle of the Turning,” and the refrain speaks of the world being “about to turn.” The lyrics paraphrase Mary’s Magnificat—the song Mary sang at her meeting with her relative Elizabeth in the Book of Luke. (Luke 1:46-55)



Really, is there any human being who is not “small?” We are all limited by our finite bodies and lives. No matter how much we may accomplish, we will die. Our time in this life is only a blip in eternity. But even though we are small, through the power of the God who “works great things” in us, we are able to be the hands and feet of Jesus while we are here. When we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, and welcome the stranger, we are instruments of God’s mercy. Maybe the most powerful way we can embody God’s presence is to sit with a friend, neighbor, or stranger who is grieving or struggling. I can personally attest to the power of things that seem small—the text messages and notes and emails people have sent to our family when our daughter has been ill have truly pulled us through the experience. Just knowing that people care makes a huge difference. We don’t have to make everything all right for people who are hurting—in fact, that is impossible. But, with God’s help, we can be conduits for love and grace and help bring God’s kingdom a little closer. We can help the world “turn” just a little!

Prayer

Dear Lord, open our eyes to ways we can participate in your kingdom now. We know that, even though we feel inadequate or unskilled or “small,” you will work great things in us. Amen.

FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

My Soul Cries Out With a Joyful Shout ( Hymn 100)

“Though the nations rage from age to age, we remember who holds us fast: God’s mercy must deliver us from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.”



This hymn was written by Rory Cooney, and it is sung to the Irish Tune



“Song of the County Down.” Cooney is a director of liturgy and music at a Catholic community in Illinois.

Nations raging from age to age. Hmmm. Sounds familiar. Our civil discourse has become anything but civil. We retreat to the safety of friends who think like us, entrenched in our positions and convinced that we are right about everything. If we are honest with ourselves, most of us have been guilty of the snap judgment upon seeing someone’s bumper sticker or yard sign, the writing off of an old friend when we see what they “like” on Facebook, the generalizations about groups that include many individuals, each with his or her own story and circumstances. We all need to humbly confess these misdeeds, and “remember who holds us fast.” God doesn’t hold fast only those people whom we like and with whom we agree. God is for all of us. These lyrics make me think that the conqueror is we ourselves, and that God can and will deliver us from our own crushing grasp—the grasp of selfrighteousness and hubris and arrogance.

Prayer

Thank you, God, for being bigger than we are. You are bigger than our arguments and our philosophical positions. We don’t have to figure everything out or be right about everything. You have done that for us. Help us to see you in those people we think of as our enemies, and to know that they are precious to you. Amen.

FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017

Come, O Come Emmanuel (Hymn 88)

“O Come, O come, thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height in ancient times didst give the law in cloud and majesty and awe.”



Our hymnal tells us that the roots of the titles of the coming Christ in this hymn date at least to the reign of Charlemagne (801-814), and that both the text and the tune of this hymn result from 19th-century efforts to adapt and reclaim Christian treasures from pre-Reformation sources.



How powerful to think that our brothers and sisters in faith have struggled to know and understand this same God that we seek. From the time of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, to the time of Charlemagne, through the centuries to the present day, we have had relationship with the living God. When we sing, ‘O come, O come, Emmanuel” we don’t just mean that we are waiting for the physical return of Jesus (although of course we long for that). But it’s also a cry for Emmanuel (God with us) to truly inhabit our lives—to become part of our every thought, movement, and breath. As we move through Advent, with its anticipation, busyness, and distraction, what are ways we can quiet ourselves and make space for the coming of Christ? Perhaps setting aside time to pray and meditate? Being intentional about what we are reading, watching, and listening to? Taking some silent walks? Perhaps there is a new way this year for you to welcome the Christ child.

Prayer

Come, come Emmanuel! We need you! Soften our hearts, open our eyes and ears. Humble our spirits that we may be like little children, children without cynicism and skepticism. Come, come Emmanuel! Amen

FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2017

Come, O Come Emmanuel (Hymn 88)

“Oh come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind; bid envy, strife, and discord cease; fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.”



The names for Jesus in this hymn are: Emmanuel, Son of God, Wisdom, Lord, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Dayspring, Desire of Nations. To take just one of those names and explore further, “Desire of Nations” references Haggai 2:7, “[a]nd I will shake all the nations, so that the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts.”



The use of the verb “shake” here is interesting. One dictionary defines shake as “to cause to sway, rock or totter.” So the coming of what all nations desire will also cause those nations to come loose from their foundations, to be unmoored and unsteady. Christ’s message was so radical that it was seen as completely disruptive. Am I ready for something so extreme in my life or in today’s world? What would it look like? Certainly the familiar systems that lead to power inequity and “winners and losers” would be unsettled. But we know that when the desire of all nations comes, the house will be filled with splendor. What counts as “splendor” in the topsy-turvy world where Jesus has come? We can go back to the lyrics of the hymn: when the house is full of splendor, envy, strife, and discord have ceased, and the world is full of heaven’s peace!

Prayer

Lord, prepare my heart for a message of love that is so radical that the world as I know it is changed to its very core. Make me a catalyst for the world where violence, anger, and jealousy are no more, and all of your children live in peace. Amen.

FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2017

The People Who Walked in Darkness (Hymn 86)

“The yoke of despair and bondage, the chains of the slave master’s rod are shattered and scattered like dust in a windstorm, loosed by the justice of God.”



This is a relatively recent hymn, having been published in 2008. The lyrics are paraphrased from Isaiah 9:2-7: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.”

A yoke, at least as used by humans, is a frame fitting about the neck and shoulders for carrying something heavy on each end. When I think of a person carrying a yoke I see the hunching in the shoulders, the curve of the back that show the heaviness of the burden. I remember in high school marching band carrying a concert xylophone that wasn’t really meant for marching when the school couldn’t afford to buy the smaller one. That thing was HUGE and pulled in all the wrong places. It was a wonder I didn’t seriously hurt myself. The relief I would feel at the end of the halftime show when I could take it off! It felt like I was floating! I would always get rather giddy and euphoric once I could ditch that heavy load. What if we feel that same unburdening knowing that we are beloved by God even when we don’t deserve it—we can let go of perfectionism and the feeling of never being good enough and embrace the powerful truth of the God we know in Jesus Christ: we are already enough.

Prayer

Thank you, God, for relieving me of my burdens of shame, self-doubt, and second-guessing. Thank you for meeting me where I am and loving me in my imperfections. Thank you for sending your Son to show us how to love each other the way you love us. Amen.

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2017

The People Who Walked in Darkness (Hymn 86)

“ For us now a child is given, for all the despised and forlorn. The rule of compassion shall rest on his shoulder. God’s own Messiah is born!” Our hymnal notes that a wonderful characteristic of scriptural paraphrases is that they bring fresh understanding and appreciation to familiar passages. Revisited verses, like those of Isaiah 9:2-7 that we have all heard many times, can take on new significance when rephrased, even slightly.

So this child is given for all the despised and forlorn? Who might that be? It is so comforting to think that this child was given for me— and I’ve certainly felt forlorn at times. Maybe I’ve also felt despised, although I don’t identify as strongly with that word. I was forlorn when I was rejected for a job that I had been pretty sure I would get. I was forlorn when I was rejected by someone I thought loved me. There are many other times when I’ve been in despair, when fear has threatened to overwhelm me, and this hymn tells me—God’s Messiah has come, and he rules with compassion. He is for you! But am I as comforted thinking that the child also is given for people that I disagree with or dislike or—can it be—despise? I don’t like to admit to despising anyone, and I really try not to do it. But humans are dogged by human failings, and if we are honest with ourselves, we feel most comfortable drawing lines between US and THEM. We may even despise people who we purport to pity because in them we see our own weaknesses and vulnerabilities—the poor, the sick, the bullied. But guess what? Jesus comes for all—not just the people like us!

Prayer

Gracious God, we ask you to open our hearts to people who may make us uncomfortable or be difficult to love. We know you are for them, and therefore we should be also. Help us to tear down walls that divide us. Help us to listen instead of talk. Help us to love without judging. Amen.

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2017

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You ( Hymn 104)

“Oh Lord, how shall I meet you, how welcome you aright? Your people long to greet you, my hope, my heart’s delight! O kindle, Lord most holy, a lamp within my breast, to do in spirit lowly all that may please you best.” The hymnal notes that, traditionally, many Advent hymns address Christ with entreaty and invitation. But this more contemplative text considers the question of how an individual prepares for and responds to Christ’s coming.

Although the date on this devotional is December 11, it’s being written in early November. I admit that what burns within my breast isn’t a lamp lighting the way to all the things that please God best. What is already starting to burn is a panicky, constricted feeling born out of all the things I have to do in the next few weeks. But how many of those things help me meet Christ, or welcome him “aright?” For me, the answer to that question lies in whether or not I can do them with joy and love, and without resentment and stress. I’ll admit to going overboard during Advent—overboard with cards (I still send one to my middle school band director), overboard with treats for friends and neighbors (the list keeps growing!) and overboard with cooking and decorating. I’m aware that I need to continually reexamine my attitudes and feelings about different commitments during this time of year, and continually be willing to change things. I remember several years ago a friend in the church telling me that every year she picked one thing not to do during Advent—one year she wouldn’t send cards, the next year she’d do cards but not bake for the neighbors, the next year she’d bake for the neighbors but scale back on decorations in her home. I loved that idea. Does this commitment or activity help me to meet and welcome Christ?

Prayer

Dear Lord, we humbly ask for your guidance in the coming weeks. Guide us to those things that please you and reflect your love. Give us joyful hearts that wait with pleasure and anticipation for your coming! Amen.

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2017

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You ( Hymn 104)

“You come, O Lord, with gladness, in mercy and goodwill, to bring an end to sadness and bid our fears be still. In patient expectation we live for that great day when your renewed creation your glory shall display.” The commentary in the hymnal notes that this hymn “brings together a recollection of the First Coming with an anticipation of the Second Coming.”

These lyrics bring about a little guilt in me. Can there ever be an end to sadness, and can my fears ever be stilled? If not, does that mean my faith isn’t very strong? Having walked through some valleys in the past few years, I’ve come to a place where I feel like I depend on God more to sit with me in my sadness and fear, as opposed to making them go away. And I try (with varying degrees of success, depending on the day) to trust in the ultimate good of the unfolding story—mine and the world’s. I love the line “patient expectation for that great day when your renewed creation your glory shall display.” It makes me think of another song that my daughter Maggie and I sang on a Passport Mission trip with the middle school youth several years ago—It’s called “Beautiful Things,” and the chorus goes, “You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of the dust. You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of us.” We can be part of God’s renewed creation and display God’s glory!

Prayer

Gracious God, we are thankful that, through your love and forgiveness, we have the opportunity to be made new. We are grateful that you hold us through those seasons of life that are characterized by fear and sadness, and that you send people to us who manifest your love and care, and show us what it truly means to live like Jesus. Amen.

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017

My Soul Gives Glory to My God ( Hymn 99)

“My soul gives glory to my God; my heart pours out its praise. God lifted up my lowliness in many marvelous ways.” This hymn is also called “Song of Mary” and, like other Advent hymns, paraphrases Mary’s Magnificat of Luke 1:46-55. The full text of the scripture: “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

We understand at a basic level that we need to be glorifying and praising God with our souls, our hearts, our very lives. But what does it look like for me? What does it look like for you? There are as many ways of praising God as there are people. Most of us Presbyterians don’t usually stand on the street corner singing our praises to God. We usually are more comfortable giving glory to God with other actions—serving the poor and sick, befriending the widow and the orphan, sitting with the brokenhearted. Perhaps this Advent is a time to consider whether we’re being called to glorify God in some new way. Is there something you’ve felt drawn to do but have tamped down the desire because it goes beyond where you feel at ease?

Prayer

God of Life and Love, lead me to where I can best offer you praise and glory with my actions. Give me courage to try new things. Help me to reach out to people who may need help but are afraid to ask for it. Amen.

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017

My Soul Gives Glory to My God ( Hymn 99) “Love casts the mighty from their thrones, promotes the insecure, leaves hungry spirits satisfied, the rich seem suddenly poor. Praise God, whose loving covenant supports those in distress, remembering past promises with present faithfulness.” Our hymnal notes that this song of praise offers clear reminders that God’s purposes often lead to the reversal of human values, exalting the poor and dethroning the mighty.

As a mother, I think about Mary a good deal. From what little we know about her, she was a humble person. She probably wasn’t educated and she probably didn’t have much in the way of material possessions. Perhaps she was someone that we wouldn’t even notice if we passed her in the grocery store. Yet she was chosen by God for this important role—to be the mother of Jesus. There is so much emphasis in our culture on achievement, success, and accolades. But to do God’s work requires none of that!

Prayer

Dear Lord, give me the humility, the open heart, and the willing spirit of Mary, that my lowliness may be lifted up. Thank you for your faithfulness to me. Amen.

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017

Comfort, Comfort Now My People (Hymn 87) “Comfort, comfort now my people; tell of peace! So says our God. Comfort those who sit in darkness mourning under sorrow’s load. To my people now proclaim that my pardon waits for them! Tell them that their sins I cover, and their warfare now is over.” The lyrics to this hymn come from a 17th-century German paraphrase of Isaiah 40:1-5. The full text of the scripture is: “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

This scripture and these lyrics are about Jerusalem, but the need for comfort is always present in a world beset by sin. As I write this, yet another mass shooting has taken the lives of 26 people worshiping in a church in Texas. There must be hundreds of people who loved them who are sitting in darkness mourning under sorrow’s load. What promise does Advent hold for them in the face of such darkness? How and when will they know peace? As Christians, we must work and pray for a time when violence ceases. It touches too many people every day and is antithetical to a life lived in the freedom of the God we know in Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Holy Lord, we struggle with what to do in the face of violence. But we know that in your kingdom swords are turned into plowshares and there is no place for violence at all. We long for that day to come. Comfort those people touched by violence today and every day. Amen.

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2017

Comfort, Comfort Now My People (Hymn 87)



“Straight shall be what long was crooked, and the rougher places plain. Let your hearts be true and humble, as befits God’s holy reign. For the glory of the Lord now on earth is shed abroad, and all flesh shall see the token that God’s word is never broken.” This was one of the texts translated as part of a 19th-century British interest in German religious poetry. In our hymnal, the words are set to one of the most popular Genevan Psalter tunes that was probably derived from an earlier French folksong.

And all flesh shall see the token that God’s word is never broken. Those things that are crooked will be straight, rough places will be plain. There are so many crooked and rough places in our world! People are fighting addictions and mental illness. Our physical bodies fail us. We are desecrating God’s creation. Children don’t have access to proper nutrition. The list goes on. It’s overwhelming. As Christians, we can rest in the knowledge that God’s word is never broken and all these rough places can and will be smoothed. But we have responsibilities as Christians, also—responsibilities to help bring about the straightening and the smoothing. As we prepare for the coming of the Christ child, let us also bring the hope we have to others.

Prayer

Loving God, show us how to straighten what is crooked make the rough places smooth. We know the hope, peace, joy, and love that comes from living a life in Christ. Help us share those with others. Amen.

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2017

Savior of the Nations, Come (Hymn 102) “From God’s heart the Savior speeds; back to God his pathway leads; out to vanquish death’s command, back to reign at God’s command.”

The original text of this hymn is attributed to Ambrose of Milan from the 4th century, known in English as St. Ambrose. St. Ambrose was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century. He was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia, headquartered in Milan, before being made bishop by popular acclamation in 374. He is credited with promoting antiphonal chant, a style of chanting in which one side of the choir responds alternately to the other, as well as with writing this Advent hymn.

It may seem obvious, but I love the direct image in these lyrics. From God’s heart comes the Savior, and the Savior is the way back to God. How many times in life are we just looking for the way forward— towards a new beginning or out of a tough situation? The way is sometimes clear but often it isn’t. We get mired down weighing our options, considering and reconsidering, asking, “what if” over and over. These lyrics make me think of a road or a path glowing with warm, inviting, comforting light. You can’t see an end to the path, you can only see the light and you’re drawn to it like a moth to flame. You can’t help but want to get on that path.

Prayer

Lord of Life, thank you for sending us the greatest gift from your heart— our Savior. Guide us on the path of his Truth. We ask all in his name. Amen.

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017

For You, O Lord, My Soul In Stillness Waits (Hymn 89) “For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits; truly my hope is in you.”

These lyrics, the refrain of this particular hymn, are a paraphrase of Psalm 62:5, “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from God.”

How can we find the silence spoken of in this scripture? With the 24hour news cycle, social media, and the latest outrageous news story demanding our attention, do we even know what silence is anymore? Is it realistic to think about unplugging for Advent? Probably not. We have jobs to which we are accountable, we need to be available to our families, and we have commitments in the community. What is realistic? Perhaps unplugging for a portion of each day, perhaps unplugging on Sunday? Whatever we can do to bring down the volume can help us “hear” the silence and the stillness. The second part of the refrain also bears repeating in these troubled times: our hope is in God. It is never properly placed in any human or any human institution. God sent Jesus to live among us as a reminder of that hope. How precious a gift God sent to the world—the hope found in the face of that little child born so long ago!

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for sending Jesus to bring us hope. Help us to remember that our hope is found in you when it seems that every day brings bad news. Jesus triumphs over sin and death, and we can rest in that knowledge. Amen.

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2017

For You, O Lord, My Soul In Stillness Waits (Hymn 89) “Come, let us bow before the God who made us; let every heart be opened to the Lord, for we are all the people of God’s hand.” This hymn also paraphrases Psalm 95:6-7, “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!” Psalm 95 is a hymn celebrating God’s rule, and verses 6 and 7 contain the image of the divine shepherd.

It’s humbling to think of ourselves as being subject to God’s rule. I’ve heard the term “sheep” used disparagingly to describe people who follow blindly, without thought or consideration. We don’t like to think of ourselves as kneeling or bowing down. Our culture doesn’t value that kind of humility or subservience. But what freedom comes with opening our hearts to the God who loves us and guides us as a shepherd guides his sheep. We know we can never be safe from all the dangers of this world, but live in hope that God holds us and those we love, and, indeed, the entire world, in a larger, more eternal safety.

Prayer

Loving God, give us the humility to bow down to you and acknowledge our own faults and our inability to control our lives. Give us the faith to trust in your good purposes for us. Amen.

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

Light Dawns on a Weary World (Hymn 79) “Light dawns on a weary world when eyes begin to see all people’s dignity. Light dawns on a weary world: the promised day of justice comes.

The trees shall clap their hands; the dry lands, gush with springs; the hills and mountains shall break forth with singing! We shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace, as all the world in wonder echoes shalom.” This hymn isn’t in the Advent section of our hymnal, but I couldn’t resist it when I started looking at the lyrics. And the title “Light Dawns on a Weary World” immediately made me think of the phrase “a thrill of hope” from “O Holy Night.” According to our hymnal, the author of this hymn heard the tune first. Upon hearing it, the author recalled the watered garden of Isaiah 58:11: “The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.”

The refrain of this hymn, with its imagery of dry land gushing with springs, and exuberantly singing hills and mountains, makes me think of God’s creation bursting forth with all the joy it can express. I think of festivals, parades, and people raising their hands in unabashed expressions of praise. What would that be like? What is worthy of such complete abandon? The answer is in the first lines of the hymn—when justice comes this weary world will see light. When we recognize the spark of God that is in every human being—no matter how different that person is from us, we have reason to celebrate! And remember, others are seeing the spark of God in us, too!

Prayer

Precious God, we long for the day when we celebrate the coming of justice with unrestrained joy. We need your justice and your mercy. Help us to be instruments of you in our world. Amen. .

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2017

Light Dawns on a Weary World (Hymn 79) “Love grows in a weary world when hungry hearts find bread and children’s dreams are fed. Love grows in a weary world: the promised feast of plenty comes.” The author of this hymn, Mary Louise Bringle, describes what took place when she heard the melody that had been written by William Rowan. It was at the 2001 meeting of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. She says it was “love at first listen,” and that words came to her that very evening, with the refrain arriving first. She heard the tinkling of a fountain in the melody and thought it sounded like a watered garden. After she found the verse in Isaiah referencing a well-watered garden, she began flipping through Isaiah and putting words to Rowan’s melody. All of the phrases she chose reflect aspects of what Isaiah holds up as a vision of beloved community, blessed with life in its fullness. According to Bringle, to “see all people’s dignity” reflects for the present time what the prophet proclaimed in the late 6th century BCE to those who were rebuilding the temple: even eunuchs and foreigners were to be welcomed into “a house of prayer for all peoples.” You can read more about the birth of this hymn on hymnary.org, Vol. 57, No. 4.

It must be human nature to want to draw lines and erect boundaries— who is in and who is out, who is right and who is wrong, who looks and thinks like us and who does not. The list could go on and on. It is against our nature to think of God’s mercy and God’s justice and God’s love being for everyone, even the people we cannot love or the people who make us angry or the people who make us afraid. Every one of those people is precious in the eyes of God. People don’t often conform to the ways I think are right or best or true. But they aren’t accountable to me, and God’s love for them (and for me and for you) is pure grace, having nothing to do with behavior or good works.

Prayer

Thank you, God, for loving us in spite of ourselves. Thank you for preparing a house for all people, not just the people with whom we feel comfortable. Help us to love others without boundaries, for we know in you there is no male or female, no east or west. Amen.

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017

Away in a Manager (Hymn 114)



“Away in a Manger, no crib for his bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. Be near me Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.” This carol was written anonymously and is believed to be American in origin. Because it is thought to have originated among Pennsylvania Lutherans in the late 19th century, it was long claimed to be written by Martin Luther, but that belief has been discredited. Researchers have been unable to confirm the original lyrics to the hymn.

Perhaps no Christmas carol evokes the children’s Christmas pageant like this one. Just hearing the opening notes makes me think of shepherds with towels on their heads, magi with paper crowns with sequins and jewels glued on them, and the competition every year for what girl would get to be Mary. Inevitably something funny would happen during the dramatization of our Savior’s birth, giving the solemn scene a feeling of repressed hilarity. The baby Jesus spits up on Mary, the sheep start scuffling with each other, or the angel’s wings fall off during her big moment. But isn’t that how it probably was on that night in Bethlehem too? Mary and Joseph weren’t even supposed to be in a stable, and the baby wasn’t supposed to be in a manger. There is no telling what seemingly crazy things happened that night. But out of the unexpected and the uncomfortable, God brought forth the greatest gift the world could ever have asked for—a Savior who showed us how to love one another!

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for bringing Jesus to us in that stable long ago. Let us be like little children as we wait for him to come. Amen.

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2017

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Hymn 119)



“Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king. Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations rise; join the triumph of the skies; with the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king.” According to our hymnal, this hymn as we know it today was brought together in the mid-19th century. The lyrics and the tune began in different forms. The text originally had ten stanzas and began, “Hark, how all the welkin rings.” It first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems, having been written by Charles Wesley. Wesley desired slow and solemn music for the lyrics. The tune e know today was created for a festival celebrating Gutenberg’s introduction of moveable type.

My favorite phrase from this hymn is “God and sinners reconciled.” We all know how hard reconciliation is. Think of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up in South Africa several years ago to attempt to come to terms with that country’s sad history of racism and apartheid. Think of situations where siblings are estranged from one another, or parents from their children, or husbands from wives. Repairing relationships, either on an individual or collective basis, involves lots of hard work, being vulnerable, and building trust over time. But in the case of God being reconciled to God’s people, God is the one doing all the work! We simply have to accept the gift of God’s grace.

Prayer

Gracious God, how generous you are to your people. You sent Jesus to show us how to love our neighbors as you love us—without reservation and without conditions. Help us to examine those relationships in our lives that cry out for reconciliation, and guide us as we work for that repair. Amen.

FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2017

Silent Night, Holy Night (Hymn 122) “Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright ‘round yon virgin mother and child! Holy Infant, so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.”

This familiar hymn was composed in 1818 by Franz Xavier Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bel Salzburg, Austria. It was first performed on Christmas Eve of that year. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011.

If Away in a Manger evokes church Christmas pageants, this hymn evokes the scene in Bethlehem as we’d like to think it was. Calm and bright. A sleeping infant being held protectively by his mother. Peaceful. The light of pure love radiating from the baby’s face. And the knowledge that grace has come to redeem the world. Of course, when the scene actually played out the participants didn’t yet know the story or its importance. And who knows what it was really like? Jesus was, after all, a human baby and must have cried to communicate his needs. It may have been cold or rainy. The animals may have been smelly or noisy. We, thankfully, do know the story that was beginning that night. Knowing what Jesus brought and did and meant in this world allows us to picture that stable in Bethlehem as suffused with warmth and light and love. Knowing what Jesus brought and did and meant in this world allow us to picture ourselves and our lives protected by that same warmth and light and love.

Prayer

Oh Lord, how we long for the sheltering comfort of your love. We know it’s there, yet we still try to do things our way. Give us the humility to acknowledge our need for you in our lives and in this world. Amen.

CHRISTMAS DAY

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2017

Joy to the World (Hymn 134)

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king; let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing. He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.” The words to this popular hymn are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts and are based on Psalm 98, Psalm 96:11-12 and Genesis 3:17-18. It was first published in 1719 in Watts’s collection “The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and worship.”

Welcome, little child! Alleluia!

Prayer

We rejoice, oh God, in your steadfast love for your creation. We welcome Jesus to dwell among us and in our hearts today and always. Amen.

2017 Advent Worship Sunday, December 3 First Sunday of Advent 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.: Sanctuary; 11:00 a.m.: OnPoint@1704 - Pickard Joy Gift, 5:30 p,m., Sanctuary** Wednesday, December 6 Mid-week Worship, 6:30 p.m., Chapel** Sunday, December 10 Second Sunday of Advent 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.: Sanctuary; 11:00 a.m.: OnPoint@1704 - Pickard Monday, December 11 Presbyterian Women Advent Worship 11:30 a.m., Sanctuary** Wednesday, December 13* Mid-week Worship, 6:30 p.m., Chapel** Sunday, December 17 Third Sunday of Advent 8:15, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.: Sanctuary; 11:00 a.m.: OnPoint@1704 - Pickard Wednesday, December 20* Mid-week Worship, 6:30 p.m., Chapel** Sunday, December 24 Fourth Sunday of Advent Sunday morning worship - 8:30 a.m., Sanctuary OnPoint@1704, 10:00 a.m., Pickard Hall (No 9:30 a.m. Sunday School) Christmas Eve Bell Services 3:00 & 4:00 p.m., Sanctuary Candlelight Lessons and Carols 5:30† & 11:00 p.m., Sanctuary 8:00 p.m., Pickard Hall Wednesday Together Dinner prior to worship *Dinner reservations required (12/6 - Spaghetti Supper/no reservations needed) **Childcare reservations needed (12/3 - Joy Gift childcare for ages 3 & under) †Childcare Available

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