One of my favorite Advent carols is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Each verse implores the Spirit of the Living God to draw near. We plead for holy tenderness, reclaim the world through holy justice, and dwell with us on earth. The words to the great hymn serve as a stark reminder that we search for something greater than who we are. We cannot accomplish the hopes and dreams of the text by ourselves. It’s a powerful reminder that we need Divine intervention to achieve these aspirations.

     The image of cleaning one’s spiritual house is excellent, but there is another dimension that we sometimes forget in our busy lives. What we miss is the work of the Spirit. We get so caught up in our preparations for our guest that we forget that the one we welcome must also finish His work within us. We must share a moment in deep contemplation with our Savior to find the strength needed to complete our tasks.

     In the 7th Chapter of the Book of Romans, the apostle emphasizes to the Jewish community that no one should turn from the law, but the law only takes one so far. Faith must meet the law to bring one to a relationship with the Christ. Like our preparation for Advent, among our dedication to cleaning our spiritual home, we must not forget to be still and let God work within our hearts. It’s crucial that we allow this process to unfold, and not let the rush of preparation overwhelm our hope to be transformed by the light of the Christ.

O come, Emmanuel Wisdom from on high great Lord of might         

Branch of Jesse’s stem Key of David     Bright and Morning Star

King of nations