Advent Focus
I love Advent. It is the time of year to reflect and wait. To reflect on the waiting of Israel for the Deliverer and then for us to reflect on the Incarnation and what it means that the Deliverer came as a baby - fully God and fully human. It is also a time to wait. To wait for the promised return of Christ. I didn't know that part of Advent until I started learning more about the Church Calendar and the Liturgical Year. In the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations when all I am tempted to focus on is my to-do lists, I so appreciate the Scripture passages that call us to remember that Jesus will return.
Sometimes a carol will become more meaningful to me during the Advent Season. I can still remember singing "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" at the top of my lungs in our kitchen on Clementine St. in Ottawa. I had finally understood what the words meant.
A similar thing happened this year. As we were preparing for the Advent Pageant at church, the words to a carol that we have sang for SEVERAL YEARS all of a sudden made sense. It was like the words were hazy before. I couldn't remember them nor make sense of them as we processed around the church singing with the children. But this year, something clicked. Early on in our preparation, I memorized the first verse and chorus and now I'm singing it all the time. It has been my Advent anthem! Here are the words:
O Come Divine Messiah
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Sometimes a carol will become more meaningful to me during the Advent Season. I can still remember singing "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" at the top of my lungs in our kitchen on Clementine St. in Ottawa. I had finally understood what the words meant.
A similar thing happened this year. As we were preparing for the Advent Pageant at church, the words to a carol that we have sang for SEVERAL YEARS all of a sudden made sense. It was like the words were hazy before. I couldn't remember them nor make sense of them as we processed around the church singing with the children. But this year, something clicked. Early on in our preparation, I memorized the first verse and chorus and now I'm singing it all the time. It has been my Advent anthem! Here are the words:
O Come Divine Messiah
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
I know that there is a "not-yet" of the kingdom and I long for it. I am so looking forward to the day when "sadness flees away". But until that time comes... and particularly during Advent, I am singing this song and focusing my attention of seeking Christ and living in His grace. This is my Advent focus.
How about you? Is there something that was "blurry" that is now coming into focus for you during Advent? I'd love to hear from you!
peace and grace,
Tracy
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