Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken.

Isaiah 1:2

Thought

You hold your breath to listen. You are aware of the beating of your heart. The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name of that moment.  (Frederick Buechner)

1. Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly-minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

2. King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heav’nly food.

3. Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the pow’rs of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

4. At His feet the six-winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

Prayer

Almighty God, Whose Light came down from heaven, thank You for another season of hope and joyful waiting. Help me to listen like the Cherubim with sleepless eye, and rest within Your Holy word throughout the weeks ahead. And may each day be filled with praises like the Seraph: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Lord Most High! Amen.

Daily Chapters

Isaiah 1, Isaiah 2, and Isaiah 3

To see the full Advent devotional, click on the button below.