“Savior of the nations, come, Virgin’s Son, make here Your home. Marvel now, O heaven and earth, That the Lord chose such a birth” (Hymn 14: text by Ambrose of Milan, 4th century; paraphrased by Martin Luther, 1524).
Here we are in the second week of Advent already, and by now we’ve probably all been bombarded by upbeat, sell-all-you-can, Christmas music for over a month now! Of course no one loves Christmas music more than I, but the longer I live, the more I need that time of preparation and reflection that the words and music of Advent offer.
It’s hard to place ourselves in the position of those who had not yet received the Messiah, to know the depth and breadth of their longing. But if we cultivate our sense of wonder, hinted at in the ancient words above, we can step back a bit, and reflect on the totally unexpected—yet longed-for—appearance of Emmanuel, God-With-Us.
With the ubiquity of Christmas all around us, it is ever more important, in the words of that great carol, that “every heart prepare Him room.” That’s what Advent is about, and without that preparation, we can’t be fully ready to receive the Gift.
Dear God, help us to step back from the hustle and bustle of the season around us to wonder, with those of long ago, at the marvelous-ness of Your coming among us. And help us to prepare our hearts for receiving the greatest Gift of all. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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