Praying With A Traditional Christmas Song

 Advent 1 Wednesday – Heart Ready

For quite a while yesterday the music and a couple of lines of a more traditional Christmas song were going round and round in my head.

“O come to my heart, Lord Jesus.  There is room in my heart for Thee.”

This really is what this time of Advent is about – making our hearts ready to welcome Jesus and the fullness of His life and power as we surrender our will and our life to the care and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

This song is a wonderful prayer that highlights what Jesus has done, what He is doing, and what He’s promises to reveal when He comes again.  Well, that’s a great focus for Advent, I think.  We’ll have to get past the old English (and there’s really no way to modernize the words without damaging the lyrics I think) so let’s pray this song and then I have one more short thought for us to consider.

1 Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,

When Thou camest to earth for me;

But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room

For Thy holy nativity.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

There is room in my heart for Thee.

2 Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,

Proclaiming Thy royal degree;

But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,

And in great humility.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

There is room in my heart for Thee.

4 Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word

That should set Thy people free;

But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,

They bore Thee to Calvary.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

There is room in my heart for Thee.

5 When the heavens shall ring, and the angels sing,

At Thy coming to victory,

Let Thy voice call me home, saying "Yet there is room,

There is room at My side for thee."

My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,

When Thou comest and callest for me.

That last verse focuses us on the Second Advent of Jesus. doesn’t it?  And I just want to end our time together today with some fairly familiar verses about that time.  With all of the death numbers that horrify us from day to day with the COVID-19 statistics, we need to have the death of God’s people brought into focus and be encouraged by the hope God gives us.  Listen to these comforting words.

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4:17-18

We are, Lord Jesus grateful as we remember how You left heaven to come to earth as a baby and then to grow up and offer Your life for us on the cross. We are encouraged as we reflect on the Good News that You are coming again for all of us who believe.  COVID-19 will not have the last word.  It may change how we celebrate Christmas this year but God, You have the last word.  Jesus is coming again to make everything new.  We will hold onto hope today. Amen