O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (stanza 1)
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Having a church home as a child is very special, and there are certain hymns that immediately transport me to the church of my childhood. When I sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel the music is such a familiar reminder of many happy holidays spent celebrating the season of Advent in the sanctuary of Covenant Presbyterian Church in my hometown of Augusta. I am very blessed to have parents who took me and my brother, Stephen, to church every Sunday and encouraged our participation in church events. Brad and I feel fortunate to have also found a church home among the congregation of First Presbyterian Church in Athens. I give thanks to God for the special friendships we have through this congregation and the opportunities we have been given to serve and grow spiritually.
Singing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel also comforts me because of the reminders the hymn provides that God is with us and that Christ was born and will come again. These comforts are important because the holidays are filled with many fun events and happy memories, but the holidays can also be difficult. There are memories of loved ones who have passed away and feelings of loneliness because of friends and family who live far away and cannot travel home. My hope is that anyone who is sad, lonely or lost this holiday season will find comfort in God’s love and the celebration of Christ’s birth.
Holy God, help us to be grateful for the many blessings you have given us and help us to be more generous and loving towards those in need. We pray through Jesus Christ in the Spirit. Amen.
Megan Sperr
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