I learned about Advent during the Christmas season I spent in Nashville. (For those of you who do not know, I moved to Nashville in 2001 and worked at a small Catholic college run by a convent of Dominican sisters.) I was suprised to find that they were very reserved during this season and spent most of their devotions focused on their need for a savior. It wasn't filled so much with the hindsight view of Christmas that I grew up with of "joy to the world, the Lord has come", but rather it was "we are perishing, Lord, come save us." And then when Christmas day came, they celebrated. Rejoiced in the Lord. Because Jesus did come. Because he did and does save us.
Several events and circumstances in my life lately have brought to mind verses of scripture like "all have sinned and fallen short", "what shall we do then?' "who will deliver us from this bondage", and responses to them...."unto us a child is born", "cast your burden on the Lord", "deny thyself, take up thy cross, and follow me."
As all of this has been on my mind, a song that Andrew Peterson wrote for his Christmas musical has been accompanying my thoughts. It's better if you hear it, so here is the youtoooob link as it was performed by Derek Webb...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxvHa-m6yPI
DELIVER US
Our enemy, our captor, is no pharaoh on the Nile
Our toil is neither mud nor brick nor sand
Our ankles bear no calluses from chains, yet Lord, we're bound
Imprisoned here, we dwell in our own land
Deliver us, deliver us
Oh Yahweh, hear our cry
And gather us beneath your wings tonight
Our sins they are more numerous than all the lambs we slay
These shackles they were made with our own hands
Our toil is our atonement and our freedom yours to give
So Yahweh, break your silence if you can
Deliver us, deliver us
Oh Yahweh, hear our cry
And gather us beneath your wings tonight
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