Thirteenth Day of Advent (Friday, December 15th, 2023)

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(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

Yesterday we spent some time thinking about names and titles associated with Jesus. There are many we could focus on—after all, according to some resources there are nearly 200 names and titles for Christ found in the pages of Scripture. There is one name, though, that we tend to only hear at Christmastime because of its appearance in a familiar carol:

O come Thou Dayspring come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here

The reason we don’t encounter the word “Dayspring” in most modern contexts is because it’s a word that was used by the King James Bible in translating Luke 1:78:

“Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”—Luke 1:78-79 (KJV)

Most modern translations, however, simply use words like “dawn,” “sunrise,” or “light” when translating the Greek word ἀνατολή from that verse. It’s part of the song of Zechariah (which we considered on Day Five of this devotional) where John’s father is describing the call of his son:

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”—Luke 1:76-79 (NIV)

It’s such a perfect image for Jesus: the long-awaiting sunrise after a long night of darkness and despair. The name “Dayspring” calls to mind a sudden appearance, as the sun “springs” over the horizon. It can also mean source, as a spring serves as the source of a river. Both resonate with the coming of the Messiah—he is the source of all things (John 1:3), and he is the one who suddenly appears on the horizon of human history and changes it forever (Galatians 4:4-5).

The carols of Advent and Christmas are filled with images of light, and they remind us that Christ not only comes to bring light to the entire world, he comes to bring light to each of us. Left to our own devices and decisions we stumble in the darkness, but when we encounter Jesus we find illumination for our souls. When that happens, the shadows no longer have any claim on us. As John wrote:

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”—John 1:4-5 (NIV)

May the Dayspring from on high visit us anew this Advent season. Oh how desperately our world needs that light.

Oh how desperately we need it that light as well.

Scripture for Meditation:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”—Isaiah 60:1-3 (NIV)

Song: Advent Hymn (lyrics here)

Questions for Contemplation:

How does this image of “Dayspring” speak to you during this Advent season? Into what shadows, what long night, are you hoping to see the light of God break through? Spend some time simply asking for the dawn of God’s love to be known wherever the darkness still reigns.

How can the image of God’s light of love be something you can return to as Christmas approaches, allowing the comfort and encouragement it brings to speak to you? Perhaps the use of a candle, or an image, or even the lights on your tree can become a tool for reflecting on Jesus our Dayspring.

How do these workd from Christy Nockel’s song speak to you today? Sit with them in expectant prayer, and lay your soul’s longing before God.

So here I wait in hope of you
All my soul's longing through and through
Dayspring from on high be near
Day Star in my heart appear

Twelfth Day of Advent (Thursday, December 14th, 2023)

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(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

During our Advent journey we often find ourselves meditating on the names and titles associated with Jesus, such as:

Emmanuel (God With Us)
Christ (Messiah)
Prince of Peace
Logos (Word of God)

And of course, Jesus/Yeshua, which literally means “salvation.” We’re reminded of this when we read of the angel’s visit to Joseph:

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”—Matthew 1:20-21 (NRSV)

How often does it occur to us that whenever we use the name “Jesus,” we are proclaiming God’s saving grace? Throughout the centuries the name of Jesus has inspired some of the most meaningful lyrics in Christian hymns and worship songs, any of which can become a powerful meditation during our Christmas preparations. (for a list of worship songs around this theme, many of which are Advent-related, click here)

But the truth is that if we’re not careful, we can take his name for granted…or worse. All around us at this time of year are signs that read, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” and we need to be on guard that we don’t become numbed by overexposure and familiarity. With that caution in mind, Advent can become a time for us to intentionally and prayerfully sit with the meaning of Christ’s name, the name that Peter proclaimed as the heart of his salvation message:

“This Jesus is ‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.’

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”—Acts 4:11-12 (NRSV)

As you make your way towards Bethlehem, pay attention to the number of times you encounter the name “Jesus.” Let each of those moments be a place of gratitude and worship as you remember God’s salvation.

Scripture for Meditation:

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”—Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV)

Song: Your Name—Christmas Version (lyrics here)

Questions for Contemplation:

Spend some time simply sitting before God and contemplating the name “Jesus” and how it points us to God’s grace and salvation. What can you do during this Advent season to pay closer attention to the ways Christ’s name comes to us in song and by other means? What practices could help you turn those occurrences into moments of prayer and worship?

What other names for Jesus have connected with you in a powerful way through the years? What was it about that name that spoke to your soul? Spend some time in prayerful gratitude for that deeper revelation of Jesus and what it has meant to you.

Here is a word cloud featuring some of the names of Jesus found in Scripture. At first glance, which ones catch your attention? Why? Sit with that for a while in prayer and let that name linger for a bit in your mind and heart.

Eleventh Day of Advent (Wednesday, December 13th, 2023)

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(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

One of my favorite Old Testament stories is the story of Samuel, who began hearing from God at a very young age (1 Samuel 3). Scholars often refer to him as the “last judge and first prophet” of Israel, a significant shift that would pave the way for many other prophets, including the ones whose words we are so familiar with this time of year.

The beginning of Samuel’s story contains a line that has always hit me in a powerful way:

“In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.”—1 Samuel 3:1 (NIV)

The prophetic ministry in Israel begins in a time of near silence from God, which is something that a later prophet, Amos, predicted would one day happen again:

“‘The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘when I will send a famine through the land—
not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east,
searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.’”—Amos 8:11-12 (NIV)

It’s a frightening thought to live at a time when people are unable to hear a word from the Lord. The words of Amos would find fulfillment during the 400 years between the ministry of the prophet Malachi and the ministry of John the baptizer, which are often referred to as the “Years of Silence.”

It’s difficult to imagine God being silent for so long. Some scholars point out that the prophecy from Amos refers to a “famine of hearing,” which means that God may have been speaking…the people just couldn’t hear. Even then, however, the famine is understood as God’s judgment on a people who had grown to trust their own wisdom instead of the words of God delivered through the prophets. For all intents and purposes, God is silent.

In that context, the opening of John’s gospel becomes especially poignant and powerful:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”—John 1:1 (NIV)

and then a few verses later:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”—John 1:14 (NIV)

When God ends the famine, it begins with a new prophet, John. But John is not the true end of the “famine of the word of the Lord”—that comes with the birth of Jesus, the Living Word. It’s as if God says, “My Word will come to you now, not as a message, but as a man. He is the living embodiment of everything I want to say to you. Listen to him.”

Today’s song is a thoughtful and poetic reflection on what it means to call Jesus the Word of God. I encourage you to linger with the lyrics that Michael Card penned for this song, “The Final Word.” For copyright reasons we can’t post the complete words here in the devotional, but we were fortunate to find a video with the words embedded in it. Before you watch it, I’d suggest clicking on the lyric link below and spend some time reading them slowly and prayerfully—they are dense with meaning and are worth your time.

“He spoke the Incarnation and then so was born the Son.
His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one.”—Michael Card

Scripture for Meditation:

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”—Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV)

Song: The Final Word (lyrics here)

Questions for Contemplation:

Are there any words or phrases from the song that caught your attention? If so, what about them stood out for you? What invitation from God might exist for you in those words?

What does it mean for you to think of Jesus as the Word of God? Does it resonate with you, or maybe cause some confusion? Spend some time in prayer asking God for a deeper revelation of Jesus as his Word, perhaps praying through the reading from Hebrews 1.

Spend some time reflecting on these lyrics from Michael Card’s song. How do they resonate with your soul right now? What do they speak to you of what God was doing in the incarnation?

And so the Father's fondest thought took on flesh and bone.
He spoke the living luminous Word, at once His will was done.
And so the transformation that in man had been unheard
Took place in God the Father as He spoke that final Word.

Tenth Day of Advent (Tuesday, December 12th, 2023)

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(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

A writer I can usually rely on for an insightful online laugh (you can follow her here) made an observation the other day that was both funny and astute:

She then went on to offer humorously renamed carols as examples, such as “Shush! The Angels Will Now Perform” and “Small Child Banging On Percussive Instrument.”

It’s so true, isn’t it? Perhaps you feel this tension as you make your way through Advent—there is a pull within us to sometimes shout a joyous word at the top of our lungs, and then sometimes there’s a pull to simply sit in wordless wonder at the gift that God has given to us. I suspect we might be drawn to one or the other based on our personality type and our spiritual inclination to either active or contemplative expressions of faith.

To be honest, for this devotional we tend to lean towards the latter. We focus mostly on the invitation during Advent to be still and sit with our deep anticipation of what we will celebrate on Christmas day. That’s not an uncommon practice during this season. I grew up in a tradition where we sang carols during advent, but there was one we never sang early: we didn’t go anywhere near “Joy to the World” until after midnight on Christmas Eve. It was as if we were saying the joy needed to wait.

But joy can’t always wait. Sometimes our joy just overflows, and we have no choice but to burst out in praise and celebration. Sometimes our hearts can’t help but echo this Advent text from Isaiah:

With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!
In that wonderful day you will sing: ‘Thank the Lord! Praise his name!
Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!’
Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful things.
Make known his praise around the world.
Let all the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy!
For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.”—Isaiah 12:3-6 (NLT)

The Advent theme of waiting is important because it helps us identify with the generations who waited for the Messiah to come, and it helps us focus on the final expression of God’s Kingdom for which we are still waiting. But it’s also important to also find moments of celebration and joy along the way. While we seek to identify with those who waited for Jesus, the truth is that we are not truly waiting as they did—he has come! He is among us! Let’s never forget that.

During Lent, a season of repentance and prayer, we call each Sunday a “mini-Easter,” so maybe during Advent what we need are some “mini-Christmases”—occasions where we allow the wonder and awe and majesty and excitement to come alive for us in a way that connects us to the truth that God has done wonderful things.

Let all the people shout his praise with joy!

Scripture for Meditation:

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King. Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.”—Psalm 98 (NIV)

Song: Hymn of Joy (lyrics here)

Questions for Contemplation:

Do you lean towards the quiet, contemplative approach to Advent or the more celebratory approach? Is it easy or difficult for you to find a balance between the two? How might you invite that balance into your time of preparation?

When you are awakened anew to the joy of what God has done for you, how do you typically express it? What intentional practices of celebration can you build into your journey with God, both during Advent and beyond?

What Christmas songs best help you connect to the joy of what God has done in Jesus Christ? Can you use your CD/tape library or an app to put you in touch with these songs during the season? (If you’d like to join an ever-growing playlist on Spotify of joyful Christmas-themed songs, click here.)

Ninth Day of Advent (Monday, December 11th, 2023)

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(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

The phrase “Do not be afraid” sits right at the center of the Christmas story. Most people associate it with the appearances of the angels to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, who were struggling to understand the story unfolding right in front of their eyes. The angels assure them that what is happening is God’s plan, and that they do not need to be afraid, as strange as it all may seem.

It’s often been said that the most common command God gives in the Bible is “Don’t be afraid.” You can find some form of that command hundreds of times in the pages of Scripture, in phrases like:

• Do not fear

• Do not be afraid

• Be anxious for nothing

• Do not worry

• Do not be dismayed

As one preacher has said, it is the easiest command to find in the Bible, yet the most difficult to obey. No doubt God felt a need to repeat this command so many times because God knows we struggle with fear on a daily basis. Fear is a primal part of our human existence, and serves as the root of so many of our negative emotions and harmful actions. How wonderful to know that God has not left us alone in our fear, and that when we hear those words in the Christmas story, it’s not just for Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds—it’s for us as well.

Six centuries before Christ was born the prophet Zephaniah penned these words:

“Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy.
And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!
At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.
On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, ‘Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.’”—Zephaniah 3:14-17 (NLT)

Through the prophet God encourages us to rejoice, and he give us good reason to do so: judgment is no more and the enemy is defeated. You might think that’s enough to disperse our fear, but even then we might worry: what if the hand of judgment returns? What if the enemy regroups and comes back to attack once more?

That’s where Zephaniah gives a compelling reason why we need no longer fear: “The Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!” And then again: “The Lord your God is living among you…with his love, he will calm all your fears.” This isn’t about a temporary victory—this is about the victor himself taking up residence with us so that we might know his comforting strength at all times, no matter what we might face.

When we are young, what is the perfect antidote to our fear? It is being with those in whose presence we feel most safe. It’s knowing that as long as we are with them, no matter what comes our way…we are not alone. I can remember running into my parents’ bedroom after having a nightmare, and just hearing their voices saying, “It will be okay” was enough to calm me down so I could get back to sleep.

The Christmas story is all about the presence of God. It’s God “living among us” and calming our fears with his love. Thanks to the birth of Christ, and now the presence of his Spirit, we know that whatever we may face…we are not alone. The God of the Universe is on our side, and has come to be with us.

Do not be afraid.

Scripture for Meditation:

”The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked advance against me to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.
One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.”—Psalm 27:1-6 (NIV)

Song: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (lyrics here)

Questions for Contemplation:

When you hear the words, “Don’t be afraid,” can you receive them and rest in them? Do you trust them and the One who speaks them? Offer to God any fears that push back against those words and let his presence minister to you in your fears.

What practices or disciplines help you to rest in the knowledge that God is with you, that he abides with you to watch over you, comfort you, and protect you? Is there something you can build into your day to remind you of his presence when fear threatens to overtake you?

What does the phrase, “The Lord is the stronghold of my life” speak to you? Spend some time in grateful prayer for the ways God has been a stronghold for you.

Second Sunday of Advent (Sunday, December 10th, 2023)

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(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

The Lectionary gospel text for today shows us Zechariah’s boy all grown up and stepping into the role God had prepared for him:

“John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”
—Mark 1:4-5 (NRSV)

This is the promised herald from Isaiah 40, the voice crying out in the wilderness, the one who prepares the way for the Messiah by giving people “the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” (Luke 1:77)

And look how the people respond.

Mark tells us that they came from all over Judea, that “all the people of Jerusalem” were going out to see him (hyperbole, no doubt, but it probably seemed that way). Why was that? Why would such a strange man living such a strange life draw such a huge crowd? His message was not a “feel-good” tickling of the ears by any means, and yet the people came in large numbers. Why?

Because they knew. They knew what they needed. They needed forgiveness and salvation.

If you look around today you see a lot of churches putting a lot of time, effort, and money into the Christmas season to try and draw the “once a year folks.” Huge presentations can be found in almost every city, some with budgets that rival Broadway shows. You can find real animals gathered around the manger, full-size orchestras providing a lush accompaniment to professional vocalists singing carols, and state-of-the-art special effects bringing a flying chorus of angels to proclaim Christ’s birth to the shepherds. It can become quite a show, and more power to them as they seek to demonstrate the awesome, universe-bending truth of the Christmas story.

But I can’t help but wonder if the story of John couldn’t teach us something important this time of year. There was no spectacle with John’s message, just the honest presentation of God’s call and invitation. I’m not suggesting in any way that we adopt John’s tone or his methods, as his role was unique in salvation history. But John’s message was simple: he pointed out the innate sense we all have that something is missing, that something is wrong, that something is broken. He didn’t appeal to peoples’ need for a show, he simply laid out the truth that God loves us, that God desires something better for us, and that God is inviting us to make a change.

It’s not often I stumble upon a new Christmas song that stops me in my tracks, but a few years ago the song we’re focusing on today did just that. “O Come All Ye Unfaithful” is not necessarily a user-friendly, seeker-sensitive name for a Christmas song, but I think it echoes John’s honest message and call. It reminds us that we are all in need of a Savior, and that in the birth of Jesus God has met that need. Over and over again the refrain calls us back to the central truth:

“Christ is born, Christ is born, Christ is born for you.”

What a beautiful reminder that God loves us, that God desires something better for us, and that God is inviting us to make a change.

Scripture for Meditation:

“‘The days are coming,” declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,’ declares the Lord.
‘This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,’ declares the Lord. ’I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord.
’For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’”—Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV)

Song: O Come All Ye Unfaithful (lyrics here)

Questions for Contemplation:

Spend some time prayerfully considering the various descriptions named in this song. Which do you identify with? Do any hit you unexpectedly? Do any provoke you? Bring your response to these words and phrases to God in prayer, lifting up yourself alongside those you know who are described by them:

Unfaithful
Weak
Unstable
Barren
Waiting
Weary of praying
Bitter
Broken
With fears unspoken
Guilty
Hiding
Running
Those with nothing

Spend some time praying that churches across the world might know the best way to offer God’s invitation in their communities this Advent and Christmas season. Pray that the hungry people might hear the invitation in way that opens their hearts to receive the covenant love of God in a new and deeper way.

Seventh Day of Advent (Saturday, December 9th, 2023)

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(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

On the Saturdays of Advent we will be doing something a little different. On Saturdays we will feature an instrumental version of a familiar carol for you to simply sit with and listen to as you ponder the words of the carol prayerfully.

The carol “Good King Wenceslas” is well-known, but not widely sung. I suspect it is well-known because it seems to be the “go-to” carol in Christmas films that take place in Victorian times—if you’re going to show a group of Victorian-era carolers standing on a London street corner singing in the snow, there’s a pretty good chance they’ll be singing “Good King Wenceslas.” It occasionally features in filmed versions of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” (perhaps due to its thematic resonance), and has showed up in everything from “Doctor Who” to “Love Actually” to “The Big Bang Theory” and more.

And yet…I can’t actually remember ever singing it as part of a Christmas celebration. That is most likely due to the fact that the carol tells a story that is both long and somewhat obscure. It also uses an archaic form of language that can be difficult to follow without really sitting down and parsing through it.

But doing just that—sitting down and reading it slowly and carefully—yields a wonderful gift, because this carol tells a story that is meaningful and deeply touching. It is based on a real person who, following his martyrdom, became widely known for the stories of his devotion to the poor and his pious acts of charity. The story of “Good King Wenceslas” is all about that spirit of giving, as the king and his young page bear the brunt of a winter storm to bring food and warmth to a man struggling with poverty. The singer is then enjoined to follow his example, as it states in the final line:

“Ye, who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessing.”

The story of this carol echoes many of our prophetic texts about the Messiah, which tell us that the poor and the outcast will be blessed by the coming of God’s chosen One. As the prophet Isaiah said (in words later both read and fulfilled by Jesus):

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”—Isaiah 61:1 (NIV)

One detail that is often missed in the story of Jesus’ early days tells us that his parents went to dedicate him at the temple in Jerusalem, they brought an offering of two turtledoves (or pigeons). What this seems to indicate is that Joseph and Mary were not well off, because this is the offering that was typically brought by those of meager means. What a good reminder that Jesus was not born into wealth, but came as one of those he came to bless. His coming is, indeed, good news to the poor.

Wenceslas believed in proclaiming that good news, as the carol tells us. As we ponder his story, we are invited to think about ways we might do the same.

Scripture for Meditation:

“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them.
I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.
I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus.
I will give them fountains of water in the valleys.
I will fill the desert with pools of water.
Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.
I will plant trees in the barren desert—cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.
I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means—
that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.”—Isaiah 41:17-20 (NIV)

Song: Good King Wenceslas (instrumental)
You can find the lyrics below just under the video.

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gath’ring winter fuel.

‘Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou know’st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?’
‘Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence,
By Saint Agnes’ fountain.’

‘Bring me flesh and bring me wine,
Bring me pine logs hither,
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear them thither.’
Page and monarch forth they went,
Forth they went together,
Through the rude wind’s wild lament
And the bitter weather.

‘Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer.’
‘Mark my footsteps, good my page,
Tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter’s rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.’

In his master’s steps he trod,
Where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.

—John Mason Neale (1853)

Questions for Contemplation:

What do you think it means that Jesus came to bring “good news to the poor?” How is the church called to live out that good news? How have you seen that mission carried out in ways that proclaim the gospel in powerful ways?

God says through Isaiah that he will “never abandon” the poor. In this season so often marked by commercialism and spending, spend some time in grateful prayer for God’s tireless devotion to those in need, and ask him how that devotion might root itself more and more in your own life.

“Good King Wenceslas” contains the moving image of a page stepping in the king’s large footsteps in the snow so that his young feet won’t freeze. Spend some time contemplating that image and our call to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. How might God be stretching and challenging you in that area?

Fifth Day of Advent (Thursday, December 7th, 2023)

If you’re new to Advent Song Reflections, click here to learn about it

Click here to follow the Advent Song Reflections playlist on Spotify.
(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will
prepare the way for the Lord.”—Luke 1:76 (NLT)

In this Advent devotional, as we allow the songs of the season to draw us into the wonder of Christ’s coming, it’s important to remember that even before a single carol was written there were wonderful songs of Christmas to be found in the gospel accounts themselves.

Two of those songs can be found in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel, Mary’s song (which we will look at closer to Christmas), and the song of Zechariah, John’s father. Remember—Zechariah has been silent since the angel’s incredible announcement that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a child at their advanced age. When the child is born, Luke tells us that Zechariah “was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.” (Luke 1:67)

The words which the Holy Spirit gives him are known as “Zechariah’s Song,” and they speak of God’s covenant love, his promises to Abraham and David, and the salvation that the Messiah will bring to God’s people. The first stanza is a powerful testimony of God’s faithfulness and redemption, and it reminds us that what’s unfolding in the Christmas story is nothing less that our deliverance. It uses language of a “rescue mission,” which is what salvation history really is: God’s great plan to rescue us from the dark powers that have ruled over us for so long.

Then in the second stanza Zechariah’s attention turns to his own newborn son and the role he will play in this story of rescue. He will be known as a prophet, for he will go before the Messiah to prepare the way for him. John will be a messenger of salvation and forgiveness, pointing people to the “tender mercy of God” which guides us from the shadow of sin and death into the light of grace and salvation. The one who has been sent to prepare also proclaims a message of preparation: in the words of the great carol, “Let every heart prepare him room!”

This description of John’s mission is a good one for us to consider during our Advent journey, because this season is also a time of preparation. In our hearts we are “preparing the way” for the Christmas story to unfold again and remind us of the amazing, unfathomable love of God. Like John, we are messengers of salvation, continuing to point people to God’s tender mercies as we celebrate once again the birth of his one and only Son.

These weeks of Advent are often filled with preparation as we shop, decorate, cook, gather, and plan for our activities at home and in our churches. But Zechariah’s Song is a good opportunity to stop our busy-ness and simply ask ourselves, “How am I preparing a way for the Lord to come anew in this celebration of Advent and Nativity?”

Let every heart prepare him room!

Scripture for Meditation:

“A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’”—Isaiah 40:3-5 (NIV)

Song: Prepare Him Room (lyrics here)

Questions for Contemplation:

What does it mean for you to “prepare him room?” What practices and disciplines are helpful, especially at this time of year, in that journey? Are there other preparatory aspects of the Christmas season that can get in the way of that journey? How can you make space for the most important work of preparation?

The song for today reminds us that “all creation groans in labor waiting for our humble savior.” Does that Scriptural image resonate with you, and if so, how? What groanings are you most aware of in your own life or in the larger world? How can that move you towards prayer as you approach Bethlehem?

Spend some time reading Zechariah’s song (Luke 1:67-79) slowly and prayerfully. Are there words or phrases that help you connect to the journey of Advent in a particular way? How can you make note of those words or phrases and find ways to reconnect with them as you move towards Christmas day?

Fourth Day of Advent (Wednesday, December 6th, 2023)

If you’re new to Advent Song Reflections, click here to learn about it

Click here to follow the Advent Song Reflections playlist on Spotify.
(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

Some years ago, a group of mathematicians set out to determine the statistical probability of a single human being fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. What were the chances that one person’s birth and life could match the specificity with which many of the prophecies predict who the Messiah would be, where the Messiah would be born, and what the Messiah would do?

For the purposes of their experiment*, they chose eight of the major Old Testament Messianic prophecies, and in doing the math they determined that the chance that a single human being would fulfill just those eight was one in 10 to the 17th power. Let’s write that number out and sit with it for a moment:

1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000

And that’s the probability of fulfilling just eight prophecies. Jesus actually fulfilled many more than that. In fact, depending on your theological perspective and interpretation, he fulfilled anywhere from 60 to over 400 Old Testament prophecies. It’s a mind-boggling number, and it’s one of the strongest pieces of evidence we have that Jesus was more than an ordinary human being but was, in fact, God’s Messiah.

One of the striking prophecies we encounter this time of year (and it was one of the eight factored into the experiment so many years ago) comes to us from Micah chapter 5:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”—Micah 5:2 (NKJV

Here we have the prophet Micah, writing centuries before Jesus’ birth, detailing where the Messiah would be born. What a glorious reminder to us that in the birth of Christ God was fulfilling his plan of salvation, down to the location of his nativity.

In this prophecy we also have a powerful reminder that God does not work according to human standards, but chooses “the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor. 1:27) Bethlehem was a backwater town, a place of seeming little significance in the grand sweep of human history. But in this humble location the most history-shattering event imaginable took place, and the world was never the same.

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” is such a familiar carol that it’s one we can sing without really thinking about the words. This year, let’s take time to really dwell with the lyrics of this song and be reminded that it’s a testimony of God’s faithfulness to keep his promises, and it’s an encouragement to us to remember that even in the smallest, most humble of things…God is doing a deep work.

(*you can read about the statistical experiment here)

Scripture for Meditation:

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”—Matthew 2:1-6 (NIV)

Song: O Little Town of Bethlehem (lyrics here)
This song is sung to different tunes depending on where you find yourself on the globe. Both traditional tunes are included here, along with a contemporary version by Chris Tomlin.

TUNE: ST. LOUIS (used primarily in the USA)

TUNE: Forest Green (used in the UK and elsewhere)

CONTEMPORARY VERSION (by Chris Tomlin)

Questions for Contemplation:

Occasionally during this Advent Devotional, you will be invited to simply read through the lyrics of a familiar carol or song in a prayerful posture. Read through the words slowly, and read them more than once. As you read, ask God to allow the truth of the song to resonate with you in a new and deeper way.

Ask yourself: what words or phrases from the song stand out to you? Why do they resonate with you? What invitation might be found in that word or phrase that can guide you in your Advent journey and prayer this year?

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven
No ear may hear His coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive him still
The dear Christ enters in

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

Third Day of Advent (Tuesday, December 5th, 2023)

If you’re new to Advent Song Reflections, click here to learn about it

Click here to follow the Advent Song Reflections playlist on Spotify.
(please note—due to copyright, versions of songs on the playlist may differ from those used here)

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Words of Reflection

In the 63rd chapter of Isaiah, the prophet reflects on God’s actions on behalf of his people and their stubborn rebellion even in the face of his faithfulness. He looks out and sees the people suffering from their own self-destructive choices, and he pleads with God to do something radical in the face of their selfishness and failure. His cry reaches a dramatic and climactic point at the beginning of chapter 64:

“O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence—as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!”—Isaiah 64:1-3 (NRSVUE)

Isaiah has in mind a terrifying revelation of God that would strike fear into Israel’s enemies and echo the “awesome deeds” of old, like the days of Moses and Joshua. He wants to see God "tear the heavens open” and come as a mighty warrior to smite the wicked and cause the very foundations of the earth to shake. It’s an awe-inspiring image.

But even though it didn’t take place exactly as the prophet envisioned, the basic thrust of what Isaiah wanted to see is exactly what happened—God did, in fact, “tear the heavens open and come down.” The mountains may not have quaked, the nations may not have (yet) trembled, but the cosmic impact of what took place on that first Christmas morn was beyond measure. Heaven came to earth, the power of creation’s author was found in a tiny child, and (as songwriter Michael Card puts it) “eternity stepped into time.” The true scope of what took place at the incarnation is far too vast for any human mind to comprehend, and yet during the Advent season we are invited to dwell in the wonder and mystery of it all the same.

We are also invited, I think, to make Isaiah’s prayer our own as part of our Advent journey. “O that you would tear the heavens open and come down” is still the cry of our heart during these particularly chaotic times. Every concern we bring to God is a plea for God to be known in the midst of it, for a fresh revelation of his supernatural power and peace to be manifest in difficult and painful situations. Even as we ponder the Incarnation, we ask God to be made real anew in our world through the power of his Spirit and the ministry of his people.

The ancient carol “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” invites us to do both of these things—to sit with the glory of the Incarnation as we “ponder nothing earthly minded,” and to join our voice with Isaiah’s in a plea for God to intercede where evil still has the upper hand “that the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.”

And through it all we join the ceaseless chorus in a cry of worship: “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia God Most High!”

Amen.

Scripture for Meditation:

“From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.”—Isaiah 64:4 (NRSVUE)

“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross." —Colossians 1:19-20 (NRSVUE)

Song: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (lyrics here)

Questions for Contemplation:

As we hear the carol’s invitation to “ponder nothing earthly minded,” what does that mean for you personally? How do you find ways to set aside the concerns of the day in order to simply sit with the mystery and wonder of the Incarnation? If you find it a struggle, ask God to reveal to you ways of quieting yourself before the manger. The Spirit is faithful to guide us in our desire for time with him.

Into what particular situations are you asking God to “tear open the heavens and come down” right now? Sit for a moment of intercession and ask God to help you offer these concerns with confidence and assurance in his goodness and faithfulness.

“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” was originally a Eucharistic hymn that has since transitioned to an Advent/Christmas carol. This is particularly noticeable in the line “He will give to all the faithful his own self for heav’nly food.” How might a celebration of Communion be particularly powerful for us during Advent? How has it spoken to you in the past about the depth of God’s love for you?