“Savior of the Nations, Come” (ELW 263)
Devotion
For the Advent season we are looking back and reflecting on the previous week's readings.
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.
Our eyes are turned to the one who is already with us. Prayer is living in the assurance that God is always with us, knowing our prayer, holding our prayer, guiding and shaping our prayer and our life. Just as Jesus is born in a little corner, a hidden away, dark corner of this world, passed over by thousands of people, so Jesus is continually born in those many dark, hidden, places of our heart, those places that even we don't want to acknowledge, those places where we don’t want to look. Jesus touches our whole being, without exception, and without hurting. "Now your manger, shining bright, hallows night with newborn light. Night cannot this light subdue; let our faith shine ever new" (see verse 5 of Savior of the Nations, Come).
Prayer
In the darkness of night, as we gather around the manger, touch us O God by your radiant light. Hold us in that communion of all those now gathered, with all those around the world and with all those who have gone before us. Amen.