An Advent Playlist: Hymn-Based DevotionsSample

Oh, come, all ye faithful

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given,
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.
Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” says St. John in the prologue to his gospel (1:1). And what a mighty Word he is! Words communicate important information. In person Jesus came to reveal the true God to mankind: a God who is kind, wise, omnipotent, and who loves people.

When Satan outs himself, when he and his demons take possession of a human being, they abuse and destroy. Jesus’ humble presence in his little manger is a foretaste of his humility on the cross, the mighty work through which God’s wrath was diverted from us onto himself, and through which God’s favor was diverted from him onto us. By faith, all ye faithful, ye can experience this amazing swap – you give Christ all your sins and he gives you the Father’s forgiveness.

What can we say in response to this but glory be to God in the highest! What can we do but worship him. Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!