O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (ELW 241)
1 O Lord, how shall I meet you,
how welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet you,
my hope, my heart’s delight!
Oh, kindle, Lord most holy,
your lamp within my breast
to do in spirit lowly
all that may please you best.
2 I lay in fetters, groaning;
you came to set me free.
I stood, my shame bemoaning;
you came to honor me.
A glorious crown you give me,
a treasure safe on high
that will not fail or leave me
as earthly riches fly.
3 Love caused your incarnation;
love brought you down to me.
Your thirst for my salvation
procured my liberty.
Oh, love beyond all telling,
that led you to embrace
in love, all love excelling,
our lost and fallen race.
4 Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted,
who sit in deepest gloom,
who mourn your joys departed
and tremble at your doom.
All hail the Lord’s appearing!
O glorious Sun, now come,
send forth your beams so cheering
and guide us safely home.
Devotion
Our Advent theme hymn has invited us to reflect on our journey toward Bethlehem: “O Lord, how shall I meet you aright?” Part of the answer is that we stand this Christmas Day at the side of the manger. We welcome this babe with the simple and profound conviction that here lies the promise that God’s steadfast love will never fail.
Because, as this hymn so boldly declares, it’s all about love. As if we might somehow miss it, four times in the third stanza the hymn writer reminds us of this love that has reached out to embrace us and the whole creation, because it springs from a God who has such a passionate thirst for our freedom.
Now it is for us to seek ways in which this deep love might be lit like a lamp in our hearts, and that such love might compel us to rejoice and live our lives each day as a reflection of God’s love in Jesus, our Savior.
Prayer
O Lord most holy, kindle within us the lamp of your love, that we might trust in the good news of your salvation, and so be guided to actions of love for all your beloved people and the creation. Amen.