By the Rev. Andrea Myers, associate pastor, Grace Lutheran Church in Albert Lea

The days of Advent invite us into a time of preparation that is quite different from the hectic busyness surrounding us. Advent reminds us to live in hope, and to trust in God as we anticipate the great transformation the Messiah brings. One of the hymns we traditionally sing during Advent is called “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Drawn from the words of the prophet Isaiah, each verse of this hymn features a different image for the coming Messiah. These images help us to understand just who the Messiah is as we make our preparations to welcome him.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.

At the heart of it all is a child called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” In a time of war and bondage, the prophet Isaiah said that a child would be born to usher in the salvation of the people of Israel. Years later, we still know the loss and suffering that come in the midst of war. We recognize our own bondage, which keeps us enslaved to things like violence, greed and pride. But we also know that a child has brought salvation to us, and his name is Jesus, who as a man bore the weight of our bondage to sin and set us free through his death.

O come, O come, O Lord of might, as to your tribes on Sinai’s heightin ancient times you gave the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

Following their redemption from slavery in Egypt, God’s people gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai where Moses received the law. That mighty voice from the cloud was a sign of God’s presence among them. And the law that they received was more than a statement of what they should do or not do. It was a promise from God of the relationship that now existed between him and the people. In Jesus Christ, that relationship with us has been sealed with love and sacrifice. We no longer live in fear, but in awe of God’s majesty.

O come, O Branch of Jesse, free your own from Satan’s tyranny;from depths of hell your people save, and give them vict’ry over the grave.

Jesse was the father of King David, the most blessed and righteous king of Israel. But the kings after David had fallen short, and that once-living tree had become a stump, cut down by exile and the judgment of God. Israel longed for another righteous king, a son of David, who would delight in the Lord and be a sign of God’s justice for the whole world. Jesus Christ, born of the house of David, brought God’s justice to life by setting us free from every kind of bondage, including the grave itself.

O come, O Key of David, come, and open wide our heav’nly home;make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.

Though they are often small, keys are powerful symbols of trust and responsibility. The prophet Isaiah describes how a corrupt court official was to be stripped of his keys and all his special privileges. In his place, these keys would be given to one who was truly trustworthy – the Messiah. Isaiah writes that “he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open.” The key of David comes to us in Jesus, the Messiah, who opens for us the gates to eternal life and shuts forever the path that leads to our destruction and separation from God.

O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer; O Sun of justice, now draw nearDisperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadow put to flight.

Even in the deepest night, a single candle can light our way out of the shadows. On a dark and cloudy day, a single ray of sunlight has the power to lighten both the sky and our mood. Each new day is a gift that gives us a fresh start, the opportunity to go down a new path and into the future. The prophet Isaiah says that the arrival of a new and righteous king will bring a new dawn, the dayspring. Jesus is the light who casts aside the shadows and gloom of the night, and leads us into a future of peace and hope.

“O come, O come, Emmanuel . . .” In these days of Advent, we rejoice that God comes to us in Jesus Christ. He is the worthy king of might, who sets us free from our bondage. He is our trustworthy Lord, who brings the new day of God’s justice. Jesus is our light and our life, who leads us onward in hope and peace. Let us prepare to welcome him into our lives today and every day!