ADVENT 2022: HEAV’N AND NATURE SING - Week 1 - O Come, O Come Emmanuel

While the Christmas countdown clock has already started ticking away for many of us, we actually have four whole weeks laid out ahead of us, which gives us plenty of time to stop and ponder the wonder, the miracle of Jesus’ first coming into this world. As an adult, with all that goes on in our day and age, Christmas always seems to speed by - this season goes by  in a snap.

But I remember as a kid, the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed to drag by painfully slow. We knew something great was coming - but it seemed so long in coming. SO much so that my parents - non-traditionalist that they were - began to let my sisters and I actually open up ONE present on December 23. Then the rest of the family gifts on December 24. And then, of course, on Christmas morning we got to see what was in our stockings and such from (you know who).

Christmas anticipation through the eyes of a child… very similar to the anticipation that the people of Israel experienced not just for a month, but for generations on generations as they had been promised a Messiah, a Savior (and sadly, most Jewish people are STILL waiting).

They knew that when Emmanuel arrived, when the Dayspring arose, they would see God’s promised redemption, His conquering power. Little did they expect it to happen quietly, without fanfare, in an obscure little village to an unassuming couple.

This morning we launch a season of preparation called Advent - a time to prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ coming into this world. Some wonder, since we really don’t KNOW when Jesus’ birth took place - the ancient Jews not commemorating birthdays, and Jesus not telling us to remember his birth, why do we then celebrate Christmas at all.