December 20, 2020 - Advent Devotion
Join us for worship this morning, in-person, and live streaming, 9:30 a.m. Live Stream will open just before 9:15am with an introductory Advent video.
You can access a mobile version of the bulletin for this Sunday, December 13, here.
vs. 1
We dim the lights, we stroke the fire,
We breathe the evergreen.
Young ones wait
While the old ones make up
Tales of how it used to be.
China dolls, candy corn,
Painted wooden toys;
Treasures found
To the wondrous sound
Of caroling the Savior
Born to us on Christmas morn.
refrain:
Emmanuel, God with us,
Emmanuel,
Emmanuel, God with us,
The Son of Israel.
vs. 2
And still he calls through the night,
Beyond the days of old.
A voice of peace
To the weary ones who
Struggle with the human soul.
All of us
Travelers
Through a given time,
Who can know
What tomorrow holds.
But over the horizon
Surely you and I will find.
(refrain)
bridge:
And the years, they come,
And the years, they go,
Though we may forget somehow,
That the child once born
In Bethlehem
Is still among us now.
(refrain)
The Son of Israel,
The Son of Is . . . Israel.
“But just when Joseph resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘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.’”
The wait is about over for this year; just four days to go. Today is The Fourth Sunday In Advent, and we light the Angel or Star Candle. We are reminded how the angels made the announcement to Mary and Joseph, and how they sang to the shepherds the Good News, and how the star pointed the way for the wise men to The Christ.
Likewise, in Christmas, throughout our own journeys, while we wait for Christ's return, we have been commissioned to be messengers! Even with just a few days to go, we are to point others to The Christ, to The One who was promised, to The One who came to save the world, to The One who is the Perfect Sign of God’s grace, to Emmanuel, God with us!
As we go out and tend to our final details, as we go out and share the full anticipation of the promise and hope of the season, may others see us pointing them, announcing for them, even in the midst of our own spiritual questions, like those of Mary and Joseph; may others be equally awed as we reflect the trust and faith of Mary and Joseph, as we go and carol of the Savior born to us that Christmas morn; that the Child once born in Bethlehem, is still among us now!
Let us pray: Lord I am sorry I do not always point beyond myself. Give me again the strength and the mission to be angel-like, to be your faithful messenger. Give me faith like Mary and Joseph, even in the midst of much that is unknown, to tell others where they can find every sign of peace, hope, security, power, truth, promise, grace, comfort and joy. Point me like your star and light, to point others to you; point me to those who need Christmas; point me to those who long for every sign of you, Emmanuel. Amen.