Dear friends,

Last week, I published a post titled, “Ho-Ho-How to Keep Christ in Christmas.”  I shared about one of the many ways my family focuses on Jesus during the Christmas season— Advent.

Today, I’d like to share an advent song with you, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”  Christmas is not about “O come, O come, Santa” or “O come, O come, presents.”  Christmas is about Jesus, our Emmanuel.  Emmanuel means God with us, and I pray you feel Christ’s presence as you listen to the song in the below YouTube link.

I pray that this song will help calm— and at the same time, ignite— your spirit, as you reflect on the first and second coming of our Lord.  He came to us as a precious, tiny baby, died a man, rose a Savior, and is coming back a King!

(Verse 1)

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

REJOICE!  REJOICE!  Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.”

(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.

REJOICE!  REJOICE!  Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.”

This seventh and final verse has struck a chord with me this Christmas.  We live in a divided nation and a divided world.  I think the world has always been divided, but we see it and feel it now more than ever since we have news and social media at our fingertips.

But Jesus’ coming gives us HOPE! 

Our King of Peace will cease our sad divisions and bind in one the hearts of all mankind.  That is certainly something worth REJOICING, Amen?  When our Emmanuel comes, “He will wipe every tear from [our] eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”  (Revelation 21:4)

We, Israel (His people), will no longer be in exile or held captive.  Christ has paid our ransom, and He is coming back again!

O come, Emmanuel!  O come!

LINK to song.

Rejoicing with you today and always,

Amy