Oh come oh come Emanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the son of God appear
Rejoyce! Rejoyce!
Emanuel
Shall come to you O Israel
Oh come now Dayspring come and cheer
Our spirits by your advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight
Rejoyce! Rejoyce!
Emanuel
Shall come to you O Israel
So I just looked up the words to this song because I noticed that the lyrics being sung on my Christmas mix were a little off. Apparently Emanuel is a hit with the Lutherans because they had the top hits on Google.
Is it because we celebrate Advent? Do other denominations celebrate Advent? If there is no Advent celebration, what's the point of this song? It's about waiting, anticipation, staying calm...do not worry, Israel, your king is coming!
And really, if we do not heighten the anticipation of the celebration, how do we really celebrate? There's a reason for these next few weeks. They remind us of what is coming--the birth of a savior. I think I know the lessons and the message of Advent better than any other piece of the bible (good or bad, let's not debate, I'm just stating). A voice is heard crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord! The hills will be flattened, the valleys will rise up, all will see him come at once. A branch will come out of the roots of Jesse. The eyes of the blind will be opened and the deaf shall hear. Here is your God!
It's easy to get caught up in Christmas without even remembering why we're so excited. It's simple to walk into church on Christmas Eve and sing the hymns...Away in a Manger, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night. But there's a reason we read from Isaiah before we celebrate on Christmas. As Christians in the 21st century, we've never really known what it's like to wait on a savior. We've been taught about Jesus, we have faith in Jesus, we have a relationship with Jesus. But we don't know a world without Jesus. The readings of Isaiah tell us about the Jewish community waiting for their Messiah--not just waiting, but actively hoping.
In Spanish, to wait and to hope are the same verb: esperar. It is the same with us during Advent. We are not simply waiting, but we are hoping. To me, esperar has always had the connotation of faith, much more so than the simple wait or hope in English. In Advent, we do all three. We wait, with the hope of Jesus, with the faith that a savior will come to save the world.
I know that some people do not always understand my intense preparations for Christmas. It may seem silly, decorating the tree, bringing out the stockings, finding the perfect gifts. But it's all about the lead-up to the celebration. If I didn't take the time to remember that we are in Advent--we are waiting for Jesus to come--then it is easy for me to forget what is really the central point of Christmas. God gives us Jesus. In a tiny baby. And we celebrate, because we are loved beyond anything that we may deserve or have earned or have even asked for.
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Now playing: Chasing Furies - O Come Emmanuel
via FoxyTunes
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3 comments:
I think you have an attitude about Christmas that a lot more people should have. You so right about preparing for the new born King. It's the anticipation...reflecting on the power of Christ's birth personally and corporately.
O Come O Come emmanuel is my favorite Christmas song.
What no updates on your vacay? How's Seattle? When are you going back to NOLA?
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