Sunday, December 4, 2016

Devotion

Savior of the nations, come;
virgin's son, make here your home.
Marvel now, O heav'n and earth:
God has chosen such a birth.

Not by human flesh and blood,
but the mystic Breath of God,
was the Word of God made flesh,
fruit of woman, blossom fresh.

Wondrous birth—oh, wondrous child—
from his throne, a virgin mild!
Very God, and Mary's son,
eager now his race to run!

From God's heart the Savior speeds,
back to God his pathway leads;
out to vanquish death's command,
back to reign at God's right hand.

Now your manger, shining bright,
hallows night with newborn light.
Night cannot this light subdue;
let our faith shine ever new.

Praise we sing to Christ the Lord,
virgin's son, incarnate Word!
To the holy Trinity
praise we sing eternally!

"Savior of the Nations, Come" Text copyright 2006 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution allowed without the written permission of Augsburg Fortress.

The Advent hymn "Savior of the Nations, Come" throws us into the midst of a paradox in its second and third verses. Not of human flesh and blood but by the breath of God, yet fruit of woman, born of and in humanity. Very God and Mary's son! This mystery is too deep to comprehend. Our own attempts at rationalization or understanding are suspended and an attitude of marvel once again becomes our only way of entering into what God is doing. God is doing something new. God is doing something unexpected in this wondrous birth, in this wondrous child who comes. Tradition has equated this child with the root of Jesse. This child now stands as a sign for how God acts in our midst. God comes to us not in majesty, not with fanfare, not with thunder and lightening and terrible works that leave the earth trembling and smoldering—as many apocalyptic dreams would have it—but humbly, in a child, in a human being; simply, without resources, in a manger; and then faithfully, on a cross. This is the sign God gives us.