Advent 1 Wednesday - Heart Ready

Advent 1 Wednesday – Heart Ready

One of the traditional Advent songs includes these words:

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.

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 promises to reveal when He comes again.  The final verse of this song speaks of how Jesus is coming again at the end of time.  Advent is a time for us to think about that as well and let that truth inform how we live today.

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.

Familiar verses in the Bible put it this way:

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. 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 4:16-18

We are grateful, Lord Jesus,  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.