Come.

The Winter Solstice has passed, and light slowly returns to the world. As the heavens point us to the distant hope of the renewal of life through the changing season, so we await the coming of our Lord in flesh among us. He comes quietly, in poverty, obscurity, and the fragile vulnerability of naked childhood. Tonight, I'll share a prayer for this time from one of my favorite authors. For all voices yearning for salvation, all hearts eager for the revival of the Spirit, we rest our hope on the Promise of Israel's pilgrim nation from long ago:

O Wisdom,
O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come.

O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel,
you showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush
and you gave the holy law on Mount Sinai:
Come.

O Flower of Jesse’s stem,
you have been raised up as a sign for all people;
kings stand silent in your presence;
the nations bow down in worship before you:
Come.

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,
you [not the systems of this world] control

at your will the gate of heaven:
Come break down the prison walls of death.

O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
Come shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death.

O, King of all the nations,
the only joy of every human heart;
O Keystone of the mighty arch of humankind:
Come and save these creatures you fashioned from the dust.

O, Emmanuel,
God-With-Us, king and lawgiver,
desire of the nations, Savior of all people:
Come and set us free.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”

Amen.