Advent the Hope and Longing for more of Him

   Time slips like sand through a very large funnel.  I thought today: "I should blog a Christmas hymn to each Sunday Advent leading up to Christmas."  The second thought came: "I already missed the first one..."  Ah, but I won't let that stop me from starting a good thing. Every year I aspire to be more intentional, more prepared, more interactive and thoughtful and every year December seems to sneak up on me and the first week or two slips by before I can recover from the joys, smells and preparations for Thanksgiving and wake up to realize that my aspirations for advent, for intentionality EVERY DAY, quiet personal moments, not as quiet family devotional moments, service projects, etc, etc have fallen through the cracks.  I've failed again. and I contemplate how many times throughout the year my best intentions get sifted out in the midst of the chunkier obligations of work, homeschooling, house renovations, non-profit commitments...  However, before I mentally write these intentions off for the year and hope for next year, I pause.  It's not too late to start now.  Two weeks of intentionality is better than last year- maybe I can build on it.  Maybe I can start now with pausing each day to give a little more of myself, see and meet the brokenness and needs around me, whisper words of awe to my children and come adore the Christ child - far surpassing in all worthiness . 
  I decide now not to wave the banner of defeat, not to surrender before the battles fully fought but start now, fighting for good, for hope for daily sacrifice as a gift to the greatest Giver.  I want to stir up an anticipation for the Wonder and Glory of the Coming One who came, and still comes and enters into our brokenness, our busy-ness, our failed attempts and our triumphs over sin, self and stagnation. I want to infuse and exemplify a passionate eagerness to know His coming, to experience the AMAZEMENT of what it really means for GOD to come DOWN, to humble Himself to know and be known - that it wouldn't just be the wonder of gifts, lights, decorations and festivities but of HIM.  One of my favorite Christmas hymns is:





















[Verse 1]
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

[Refrain]
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

[Verse 2]
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

[Verse 3]
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave

[Verse 4]
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight

[Verse 5]
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery





[Verse 6]
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high
And order all things, far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show
And cause us in her ways to go

[Verse 7]
O come, desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease
And be Thyself our King of peace



May you be filled with greater longing, hope and desire and may the Desire of Nations come and meet you in that place - come to you and fill you!

Pentatonix

story behind the hymn

Piano Guys

Lindsey Sterling