O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Revelation 22:20

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Lyrics

“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.”

This translation of an anonymous Latin hymn doubles as a prayer for the first and second coming of Christ. It takes us into the mind of old Israel, longing for the first coming of the Messiah. And it goes beyond that longing by voicing the yearning of the church of Christ for the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to consummate the history of redemption. (John Piper DesiringGod.org)

Dear Heavenly Father, I'm so very thankful that You've been determined to be WITH us since the very beginning. You never leave Your creation alone. In Jesus, though, You came to be with us in human form. What a gift! I pray we never ever get over it. I pray that all of us are completely overwhelmed and undone by Your love and generosity this Christmas.