Advent Devotional 2021
Carols for Christ
Encountering God in the Music of the Season
An Advent Devotion by Rev. Laurel Meester
Introduction: O Come O Come Emmanuel
Sunday November 28th: Lo How a Rose E’re Blooming
Monday November 29th: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Tuesday November 30th: Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Wednesday December 1st: In the Bleak Midwinter
Thursday December 2nd: The Holly and the Ivy
Friday December 3rd: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Saturday December 4th: See Amid the Winter’s Snow
Sunday December 5th : Prepare the Royal Highway
Monday December 6th: Ding Dong Merrily on High
Tuesday December 7th: Good King Wenceslas
Wednesday December 8th: Infant Holy Infant Lowly
Thursday December 9th: Go Tell it on the Mountain
Friday December 10th: As with Gladness Men of Old
Saturday December 11th: I Saw Three Ships
Sunday December 12th: Good Christian Men Rejoice
Monday December 13th: Angels from the Realms of Glory
Monday December 14th: The Little Drummer Boy
Wednesday December 15th: Oh Christmas Tree
Thursday December 16th: What Child is This
Friday December 17th: Do You Hear What I Hear
Saturday December 18th: Joy to the World
Sunday December 19th: Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
Monday December 20th: Oh Holy Night
Tuesday December 21st: Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Wednesday December 22nd: The First Noel
Thursday December 23rd: Angels We Have Heard on High
Friday December 24th 2021: Mary’s Boy Child
Saturday December 25th: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Introduction: O Come O Come Emmanuel
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.” - Isaiah 7:14-15
A fellow Christian commented to me the other day: “I used to read the Old Testament and wonder how the Israelites could reject God and good sense over, and over, and over again. Now that I’ve lived through the last two years I understand that it’s human nature and that I do the same thing.” In the Old Testament (which is 77% of the Bible) the Israelites reject God repeatedly. Every time, God responds with justice and mercy.
When Isaiah proclaims that the final reconciliation will take place through a child, he names that child as Immanuel, which means ‘God with us.’ This is a crucial distinction because it reminds us that God does not resolve things from afar. God does not dictate a new order from a gilded throne. Instead, God arrives on Earth to be in relationship with us, in order to set things right, to bring peace and justice to all the Earth.
As we enter the season of Advent, we call out for Immanuel to come and be with us. We speak to a God who is merciful even when we fail to live lives of love and service. And, that God promises to arrive bringing hope to all the world.
Sunday November 28th 2021 Lo How a Rose E’re Blooming
“In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land” - Jeremiah 33:15
Advent begins in that time of year between autumn and winter. It is too cold for anything to really grow, but usually, at the end of November, snow hasn’t become a permanent part of the landscape. At this time the grass is brown, the flowers wilted, and fields empty. Yet, some flowers still bloom, the winter rose in particular. This bright flower nestled in dark green foliage blooms in bitter cold: a bright spot in the otherwise grey landscape. It grows when many other flowers fail. Resilient and strong, it reminds us that Jesus was born in precarious circumstances. His life was marked by poverty, oppression, and struggle from the very beginning. Yet, he endured and even flourished. Because of him we, too, endure. In fact, every difficulty we face is encountered with the Rose of Christ blooming in our hearts.
Monday November 29th 2021 Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to
him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire
him. He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain” - Isaiah 53:2-3
This past weekend, our little family of 3 went to the Christmas Tree Farm to get a tree. It was lovely and festive! We were only going to be gone for an hour or two, so I didn’t expect her to need much. Well, apparently our infant daughter was SO excited about her first Christmas tree that she went to the bathroom. A lot. My expectations did not match reality, and now of all our cute tree farm photos feature a grumpy baby with an extremely wet diaper.
People expected the Messiah to be a king who would liberate Israel from its oppressors. He did that, but not in the way that people thought he would. Even now, we have different expectations of how God will be present with us or answer our prayers. As we consider the long-expected Jesus to arrive in a few weeks, let us open ourselves up to our expectations being subverted. Perhaps we will be surprised in the best way possible!
Tuesday November 30th 2021 Oh Come All Ye Faithful
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” - Luke 2:15
Oh Come All Ye Faithful is a carol that echoes the call of the angels to the shepherds to find the Christ-Child and praise him. The shepherds overcome their fear and travel to Bethlehem to find the young baby lying in a manger. As we enter into Advent, we are invited to a season of waiting and contemplation. We, like the shepherds, might leave some things behind as we dwell on both who Jesus is and what he has done for the world.
Wednesday December 1st 2021 In the Bleak Midwinter
“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” -Jeremiah 31: 33-34
In the final stanza of this hymn, the author offers their heart to the Christ-Child. Giving ourselves to God at all when sin holds our hearts so tightly is impossible. Yet, we hear the promise in Jeremiah that God writes on our hearts. God has already chosen us. Our hearts belong to him. It is so much easier to dedicate ourselves to God when things are good and bright than when things are bleak and cold. As we enter into Advent, how can you give your heart to God in preparation for Christ’s arrival?
Thursday December 2nd 2021 The Holly and the Ivy
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” -Luke 2:19
This traditional English carol likens Jesus to the holly and his mother Mary to the ivy. It reminds us over and over again that Mary bore Jesus Christ and, as such, was the first human to have a relationship with him. God could have become incarnate in any way God wanted to. God chose to arrive in a very real (probably very crying) baby. I imagine Jesus clinging to Mary in those first few months, knowing the comfort and safety of a mother’s arms. Their relationship would last throughout his life, death, and resurrection. We, too, share a lifelong relationship with Jesus. We grow from the roots God plants in our hearts through baptism and nourishes in communion. As you listen to this carol and dwell in the waiting of Advent, consider how you can help that relationship to flourish.
Friday December 3rd 2021 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
“The light shone in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.” - John 1:5
This hymn was written by Rev Edmund Sears in Massachusetts in 1849. He wrote it during a time of great personal and national grief. Though Sears wrote this carol as a reflection of the bleak world around him, the song is deeply hopeful. It names the weariness of the world and how angels arrive in the midst of that weariness to proclaim the coming hope of Christ. The promise of Jesus brings light to the darkest nights. When you are overwhelmed by darkness, remember that Christ came to Earth to bring joy and hope to all people.
Saturday December 4th 2021: See Amid the Winter’s Snow
“Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” - Isaiah 1:18
One of the most beautiful things in the world is waking up on the first full snow-laden morning of winter. I open all the curtains in the whole house so that I can stare at the pristine sparkling landscape all day. The Bible tells us that the Messiah will wash us white as snow. This promise reminds us that the birth of Christ is meant to refresh us and make us as beautiful as that crisp, sparkling frost. Today, make some snowflakes to hang around your house. Remember that you have been made as pure, beautiful, and unique as those flakes!
Sunday December 5th 2021 Prepare the Royal Highway
“He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” - Luke 3:3-4
On the second Sunday in Advent, we remember the proclamation of John the Baptist, who tells us to prepare the way of the Lord. The path of Jesus begins in Bethlehem, but it will end in Jerusalem. If we do not have the cross in mind, we lose something of the meaning of the manger. How do we prepare a way for God in the world? In our hearts? Perhaps by holding in tension the beauty of the baby Jesus with the brutality of his death. With both of these in mind, we fully experience our own joys and sorrows in the company of a God who loves us deeply and makes our own paths straight.
Monday December 6th 2021 Ding Dong Merrily on High
“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.” - Psalm 100:1
At the church I serve, worship begins every Sunday with the ringing of the church bell. It is a sound that settles me because it reminds me that I am proclaiming a truth that extends far beyond the building into a community and world that desperately needs to hear about the promise of God in the world. This carol tells of the bells ringing in heaven and the angels singing about Christ’s arrival on Earth. How might you ring a bell for Christ or proclaim his coming arrival? Pray today that you might be like the angels that announced the glorious event for all the world!
Tuesday December 7th 2021 Good King Wenceslas
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” - Isaiah 43:19
I love this carol for 3 reasons:
1. There is a very cute rendition of it in my favorite Christmas movie: A Muppets Christmas Carol.
2. It has a very upbeat tempo!
3. It tells a story based on the actual St. Wenceslas of Bohemia.
In the story, a young page is struggling to find his way in the cold winter night. He is about to give up and submit to the cold, when the king comes and leads him back to warmth and safety. The young boy is able to follow in the king’s footprints and make it home. Jesus came into the world to lead us in God’s way. The drifts that we encounter are no match for the way that God forges for us.
Wednesday December 8th 2021 Infant Holy Infant Lowly
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” - Philippians 2:9-11
This traditional Polish carol is short and rhythmic with a repeated phrase of “Christ the babe is Lord of all.” In this carol, the humility of Christ, his lowly position in society as the son of a carpenter and an unwed mother, makes his lordship all the more wonderful. It is not worldly power and might that conquers death and sin, but a willing submission to death and the power of selfless love. How does this subversion of expectations about power change our perception of who Jesus is? How can we live out this principle in our own lives?
Thursday December 9th 2021 Go Tell it on the Mountain
“He said to them; ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.’” - Mark 16:15
The spiritual, Go Tell it on the Mountain, is a commission to go forth and proclaim the story of Christ. It is an encouragement to testify to the work of the Lord. We don’t often associate testimonies with the birth of Christ. We are more likely to discuss how the death and resurrection of Jesus changed our lives than the manger scene. Yet, the birth of Jesus matters to our own stories too. It is important to declare that Jesus was born as a lowly human baby because we too were all once like him. Infants, helpless and small, we are united with him in this humanness and thus able to share in his salvation. Ponder how your own humanity makes you capable of preaching the grace and unconditional love of God then, Go Tell it to the Whole World.
Friday December 10th 2021 As with Gladness Men of Old
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” - Matthew 2:3-4
This hymn was written by William Chatterton Dix about the journey and arrival of the Magi when he was unable to attend the Epiphany service at his church because of illness. Most scholars believe that it took the Magi three years to travel to meet Jesus. We don’t celebrate their arrival until 12 days after Christmas on Epiphany. They waited all that time, spent many months traveling, faithfully believing that they would encounter the Messiah. As we wait for the return of the things we love, as we create a new world in the reality we now live, let us rejoice at the example of the Magi and at the promise that all the waiting and wandering is worth it.
Saturday December 11th 2021 I Saw Three Ships
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” -1 John 4:12
This English carol was traditionally known by the name “As I Sat on a Sunny Bank.” It conjures the image of a person watching three ships arrive, possibly with the holy family, or the news of Christ’s birth. Imagine watching those ships sail into harbor. Imagine the good news that they bore. Of course, Jesus wasn’t actually on the boat. In fact, we never get to see the physical Jesus but we know him by his love shown to us by others. We too make God real by sharing our own love and care. Today, make some paper boats and on each one of them write or draw a space you have seen God.
Sunday December 12th 2021 Good Christian Men Rejoice
Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. 4 For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.” - Psalm 139:3-4
Have you ever heard a truly rousing rendition of Good Christian Men Rejoice? It is set to In Dulci Jubilo, a traditional folk dance. As such, it has a melody that begs you to bop your head and tap your toes. If you are like me and have no compunction about doing embarrassing things, you might find yourself dancing around the living room singing in your lowest voice while your husband and child look on with judgment. May you find a moment in this season to dance with joy for the gift that God has given you in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Monday December 13th 2021 Angels from the Realms of Glory
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified... And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host.” - Luke 2:8-9, 13
This hymn reminds us that the angels traveled to earth to proclaim Jesus’ birth. Have you ever considered how many people travel in the nativity story? The Magi from the east, shepherds from their fields, Mary and Joseph from Nazareth. All of these people come together to witness the incarnation of God in a human child. As you travel this season, or prepare to welcome travelers to your home, may Christ be at the center of your heart. May you remember that God is with you on the road, to and from every place you go.
Monday December 14th 2021 The Little Drummer Boy
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.”
- 1st Corinthians 12:4
The apocryphal story of a young boy playing his drum for the Christ-Child is one of my favorite Christmas songs. In the playlist I created for this devotional, I found a version done by Johnny Cash. Cash’s signature rough voice further emphasizes how ordinary the young boy is, offering whatever he can for baby Jesus. Sometimes we feel too ordinary to be called by God, too dull for the great work of the kingdom. This carol reminds us that everyone has something to offer at the feet of Christ, whether it is gold, rich perfume, the work of small hands, or the love of a neighbor. Your gifts are given by the Spirit for the service of God’s Kingdom and because of that, they are enough.
Wednesday December 15th 2021 Oh Christmas Tree
“You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For
‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’
That word is the good news that was announced to you.” - 1st Peter 12:3b-25
The word of the Lord endures forever. Just like the evergreen branches of a Christmas tree that keep their color long after other plants have faded, the pines and spruces that decorate our home at this time of year serve as a reminder that evil and pain will not outlast the love and salvation of Jesus Christ. Even when the season is over and the tree goes back to the garage or burn pile, the miracle of Jesus’ birth will continue to sustain us until the end of all things. How are you continually sustained by God.
Thursday December 16th 2021 What Child is This
"All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
'Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,'
which means, 'God is with us.'” - Matthew 1:23
I created a playlist to accompany this devotional and this song is the only one featured twice. The first rendition is a simple cover by Shane and Shane. The second is a combination of the carol with the hymn Child of the Poor by The Hound and The Fox. Both of these songs emphasize that Jesus was not born into wealth or power, but poverty and struggle. Nobody would look for the savior of Israel in a barn with an unwed mother. In the same way, they wouldn’t seek liberation from Egypt through the adopted son of the Pharaoh, or a king from the youngest scrawniest son of Jesse, or protection from enemies in a prostitute.
In the Bible, God consistently lifts up the least impressive to do the most important work. Perhaps you need to hear that you are being lifted up for this work. Perhaps you need to open your eyes to those God has called to serve from low positions. Wherever your eyes need to go, may God open them and your heart to the miracle of the humble made great and the lowly set in seats of power.
Friday December 17th 2021 Do You Hear What I Hear
“Jesus said ‘And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” - Matthew 28:20b
While doing research for this devotion, I was surprised to find out that Do You Hear What I Hear is a relatively modern carol. It was written in 1962 by Gloria Shayne and Noel Regney and was inspired by the sight of children in strollers in New York set against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was a plea for peace in a time when war was looming. One of the lessons of this and others carols is that the promise of a night 2000 years ago stretches into our current time. There are crises in our lives every day. The cycle of life and death, fear and courage, hope and despair continues. Yet in the midst of that, there is a small voice that proclaims “The child is born and he will bring us goodness and light!”
Saturday December 18th 2021 Joy to the World
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13
A moment of great joy I experienced recently was reuniting safely (though differently) with communities after a long time away from them. It is one thing to be separated from people by time and distance, but for it to be dangerous to be in community is something I had never experienced and hope never to do again. The arrival of Jesus is what makes all communities possible. It overcomes our sin so that we may love one another. It gives us resilience so that we can be vulnerable with our friends and neighbors. This is the source of joy; the ability to gather together whether in person or apart, as ourselves fully loved and accepted by God.
Today, take a moment to tell those closest to you how much you love and appreciate them. Name what brings you joy in your relationship with them. If you have children, have them draw a picture of their favorite community.
Sunday December 19th 2021 Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
“Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.” - Luke 2:4-6
One of my favorite things when I worked in Minneapolis was driving through the city after work. I would take different routes home and marvel at the hustle and bustle of it all. To an outsider, it was all chaos and disorder, but after spending enough time driving through it, I began to find a rhythm in it all. Eventually, it calmed me greatly. Whenever I came off of a shift at work, I would roll down the windows, breathe deeply and allow the sights and sounds of the city to soothe me. This is the last Sunday before the big day! Take a moment amidst all this chaos to breathe. Remember that, in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Bethlehem, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph shared a moment of peace together.
Monday December 20th 2021 Oh Holy Night
“I will satisfy the weary, and all who are faint I will replenish.” - Jeremiah 31:25
We are nearing the end of Advent, and so too the end of the year. Many of us are exhausted after another year of pandemic, political unrest, and financial strain. We are stretched thin and bone tired. Into this weariness, we hear the words of the carol Oh Holy Night; “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.” This hymn reminds us that Jesus’ arrival into the world heralded the beginning of our redemption from sin. The brokenness in this world is a result of the shortcomings of humanity. The hope of Christmas is that in the Christ-Child we are given that first glimpse of the morning light that will illuminate a broken world that has been made beautiful. This hope carries us forward even when our weariness threatens to drag us down.
Tuesday December 21st 2021 Hark the Herald Angels Sing
“For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
- Isaiah 9:6
This hymn explores the variety of ways Jesus is known on earth. He is the Newborn King, the Everlasting Lord, offspring of the virgin’s womb, the Incarnate Deity, Jesus, Immanuel, Heavenborn Prince of Peace, and the Son of Righteousness. The hymn declares that he brings light and life to all. As we prepare to meet God incarnate in a baby, take some time to consider which aspect or identity of God you are most connected to right now. God as Lord? God as Healer? Spirit? Creator? Savior? What image of God is the most beautiful and life giving to you at this time?
Wednesday December 22nd 2021 The First Noel
“For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.” - 1st Peter 12:12
The First Noel is often sung in a four-part harmony. One of the things I love about harmonized songs is the blending of different voices. Deep and low, high or mellow, all the voices come together to form a beautiful sound. Similarly the Christmas Story features a variety of people who come together for the common purpose of witnessing Christ’s birth. Rugged shepherds, royal kings, a young mother and working father, the animals and angels all witness this miraculous sight in the Christ-Child. Our church and world is made all the more beautiful by the variety of voices that come together and sing.
Thursday December 23rd 2021 Angels We Have Heard on High
“Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” - Luke 2:9-11
This carol is inspired by Luke’s nativity story; specifically the angels announcing Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. The first words the angels speak to the shepherds is an encouragement not to be afraid. Imagine encountering an angel, especially ones speaking of the Messiah. No wonder the shepherds were terrified. Yet they faithfully seek the baby in Bethlehem. Let us pray that we can have the faithfulness of the shepherds and the voices of the angels to bravely proclaim that Christ has come.
Friday December 24th 2021 Mary’s Boy Child
“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about…” - Matthew 1:18a
This song tells us the story of the nativity, one verse at a time. It is a simple and beautiful rendition of the story we have been leading up to for all of Advent. Take a moment to listen to it, to remember each detail and revel in the miracle of God’s work in the world. Close your eyes and conjure images of each part of the story. Ask those with you today what parts are most beautiful to them. The concluding line to each verse is: “Man will live forevermore because of Christmas Day.” You have been given eternal life because of this miraculous story. Celebrate this gift through love and hope on this day!
Saturday December 25th 2021 I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’” - Luke 1:14
This carol is based on the poem Christmas Bells by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow. Longfellow wrote the poem while his son was away fighting in the Civil War. This, combined with the tragic loss of his wife to a fire two years before, left Longfellow alone and full of grief. In the midst of that isolation and fear, he heard the church bells ringing on Christmas Day. The verses of the carol name the despair and hopelessness that was ever-present in a country torn in two by a war. Peace seemed impossible for both himself and the world he lived in. Perhaps the joy of Christmas seems dissonant with our experiences. Perhaps our hearts are weighed down by the injustice and suffering in the world. Yet the bells still ring out; Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat, Of peace on earth, good will to men.