O Come, Thou Dayspring

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Today is the winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year. The sun rises late today and sets early. In the long, cold winter nights, it is rather depressing. Seasons of our lives reflect this dark and seemingly hopeless pattern, too.

When John the Baptist was born, his father Zechariah rejoiced in song. Part of that song says:

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:78-79, KJV).

Centuries before, the prophet Isaiah wrote: "The people in darkness have seen a great light." (Is. 9:2)

Jesus says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Today, the last Sunday of Advent, I watched as the fourth candle was lit in the Advent wreath. The period of waiting is coming to an end. The light of the Christ candle will be lit in a few short days, representing the light and life He brings to the world.

Come, Lord Jesus.