Restore Ministries, Inc.
  • Home
  • Restore Journal/Magazine
  • Spotify Playlists
  • Retreat FALL 2025
  • Events
    • Photo Gallery
    • Testimonials
    • Past Retreats
    • Reunion Pics
    • Thanksgiving Video 2017
  • Who We Are
    • Doctrinal Beliefs
  • Blog
  • Contact us
  • The One Thing Home Study
  • Book Us!
  • Donate
  • Melissa's Memorial Fund
  • Beauty & Truth Retreat 2024

Monday Musings
​Devotional Blog

This Advent Journey

12/2/2019

0 Comments

 
It was five years ago at this very time that I wrote a blog called O Come, O Come...
I actually stumbled upon it a few weeks ago, and suggested to Kathy that I should write the blog this week and revisit what I wrote in 2014.  The Lord had awakened me with 3 words and a scripture verse on that 2014 night, and it seems that those words are still prevalent for me today!  This week in particular, another word was added to my list of thought provoking and powerful words, trust!  It's so sweet how the Lord offers little whispers in my ear to help me acknowledge His presence is always with me and to stop worrying. An email subscription was delivered in my inbox with a new painting from David Arms, an artist in Leipers Fork, TN a little village just outside of Franklin.  The title of the painting...Trust.  I really didn't think too much about it until a Cardinal flew up and perched himself right in my view on the limb of a low Japanese Magnolia branch. I was sitting on my sacred porch brining my cares to the Lord. 
Picture
As I sat, pouring my heart out to the Lord in prayer, I discussed and repented over my expectations on certain areas in my life and how I had placed serious demands on meeting them.  I thought about my anxiousness and the anticipation of upcoming weeks.   Because I wasn't sure how to proceed with meaningful or productive preparation, or even restoration of what I had created within my self-absorbed flesh, I felt paralyzed and tried to overcome with self-motivated solutions.  It's never a good thing to set out a course in your own strength!  It's surely a recipe for deep hurt and disappointment.  Thank you Lord for turning my eyes and heart toward You, even if it took a little painting in an email subscription! The only way to stay focused on what is important is to trust His heart for our own personal life!  Interestingly, Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, anticipation, and preparation, and of longing.  My focus was just headed in the wrong direction as I had my own expectations, anticipations, and thoughts of preparation.  May The Holy Spirit speak to you through this blog as you may experience one or all of these 3-4 little words in the days ahead. 
Wishing you a blessed Season of Advent,
​Sherry

O Come, O Come...   a blog from 2014.

The process of writing for the Monday Musings blog has been quite interesting for Kathy and I each week as we try to reflect or share something to stir your heart, cause you to ponder, or awaken your passion to know Christ more intimately.  They are often created out of our own personal experiences.  Last weekend was so much fun as we escaped to the beach with our friend Suzanne.  We both were in much need of a personal Restore Retreat…it was way too short, but I was thankful!  I knew it was Kathy’s turn for the blog so I wasn’t too worried with thinking about what to write for my  week.   There were so many object lessons while at the beach, I felt sure that the Lord would choose to let me write on one of those.  Nope!  It’s another lesson in trusting Him because today is Sunday and it will be posted in the morning!  The only thing that seems to be hanging in my mind are three little words for which I had nothing…no meat and no scripture to back up these words!  Only the words!  You know, after reading many of my posts, God speaks to me in the most unusual ways!  So here I am, stuck with three words and an unseeingly unrelated scripture verse that awakened me at 3:33am!  Let’s see how God chooses to tie these things together!  Play this You Tube of the Piano Guys and let the music soar as you read the rest of the blog.  You can come back and watch the video later.
Picture
Here are my three words:  expect, anticipate, prepare

I was not certain how these words would play out in a blog until I got a little curious about a Christmas hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.  Brian and I put up some of our Christmas decorations yesterday while listening to Christmas music.  I love this 18th century plainsong, which actually derived from a poem dating back to the 5th or 8th century…its origin is unclear!  This Latin chant was used in a call and response fashion during the vespers, or evening, service during the 12th century.  I’ll share more about this special hymn later; let’s get back to these three words!   Expect, anticipate, and prepare… humm?  What should I expect, Lord?  Anticipate?  Isn’t that the same as expect?!  Prepare?  Prepare what?  Or prepare for what?  My mind began to wonder why these three words were clumped together.  I still didn’t know until I read this online while researching the hymn tune:  “Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing.”   Sunday, November 30, 2014, (today as I write) is the first day of Advent!  Talking about chill bumps!  ​

Picture
What exactly is Advent?  As a kid growing up in a Protestant church, I really was unsure but knew it had something to do with a calendar or wreath with candles to mark out a few days before Christmas.  Advent means the arrival of a notable person, thing or event.  The word “advent” comes from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming” or “arrival.”  Advent begins four Sunday’s before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve.  This year, it begins today, November 30th.  Its focus is double as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in his first Advent and anticipate the return of Christ in his Second Advent.  It was the cry and prayer of the Israelites long ago as they long awaited the coming King.  It is my cry and prayer today, along with other believers, who await and are hopeful for His second coming.  

 “Come, O Come, Emmanuel, 
And ransom captive Israel!”
O Come, O Come Emmanuel is a Christian hymn for Advent; its origin is Latin as Veni, Veni, Emmanuel.
1 O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

2 O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain

3 O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

4 O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain
Picture
5 O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death's abode. Refrain

6 O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain

7 O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain 

                                         Psalter Hymnal (Gray)



​
Picture
“When we sing each verse of this hymn, we acknowledge Christ as the fulfillment of these Old Testament prophesies. We sing this hymn in an already-but not yet-kingdom of God. Christ's first coming gives us a reason to rejoice again and again, yet we know that all is not well with the world. So along with our rejoicing, we plead using the words of this hymn that Christ would come again to perfectly fulfill the promise that all darkness will be turned to light. That is the promise we hold to as we sing this beautiful hymn.” *

5th century Jewish Christians may have used this Advent hymn, since most of the themes are from the Old Testament. In the 9th century, the hymn was incorporated by the medieval church for use during Advent. During the week before Christmas Day, seven “Great ‘O’ Antiphons,” each of them in praise and wonderment (“O”) of an Old Testament name for the coming Messiah, were chanted.
In the 13th century, these antiphons were put in Latin hymn form, “Veni, Emmanuel,” and the “Rejoice” refrain was added. In Latin, the seven antiphons formed an acrostic from the opening words:

“O Sapienta” (Wisdom): In Christ are found “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3).  

“O Adonai” (Lord of Might): He is called “Mighty God” (Is 9:6).

“O Radix Jesse” (Root of Jesse): After the kingdom of David, Jesse’s son, was cut down to a mere stump, Messiah will come and rebuild it into a kingdom made up of Jews and Gentiles (Is 11:1, 10).

“O Clavis David” (Key of David): The Son of David will have the authority to open and shut heaven’s gate (Is 22:22).

“O Oriens” (Light of the East): As the bright Morning Star and Dayspring, the Messiah will give light to all who walk in darkness (Nm 24:17; Is 9:2; John 8:12).

“O Rex gentium” (King of Nations): At last, when he returns, he will reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords (Is 9:6; Rv 19:16).

“O Emmanuel” (God With Us): He came down from heaven to dwell with us (Jn 1:14). And he will return to take us to his dwelling-place forever (Rv 21:3).

When read backwards, S-A-R-C-O-R-E becomes Ero Cras (“I will be there tomorrow”), anticipating the arrival of Jesus on Christmas Day, God’s answer to the petition, “O come, O come, Emmanuel.” So the verse we usually sing as the first was actually the climactic last of the seven antiphons sung on Christmas Eve.*


I found this very interesting and there is a little debate on the actuality of reading backwards and whether this was intentional or not! It is said that the Benedictine Monks arranged the verses in this fashion and that it went along with the season of Advent.  I often use acrostics or acronyms when I create so this isn’t too far out there for me to believe.  Kathy and I even began this ministry with a vision and connected its title with an acronym. 

The titles for Christ, as indicated in each verse of the song, describe His character and nature.  They paint a beautiful portrait of what He has done, of this authority, and of His power. 
 “When we comprehend the rich meaning of the titles set forth in this song,
      it is transformed from a simple Christmas carol into a powerful vehicle of praise
            and a heartfelt prayer of anticipation.”  ~ Christopher & Melanie Lane ​
When you choose to study the names of God, you learn more about His character and about His deep abiding love for us, His chosen ones.  More knowledge and wisdom about our Savior awakens us to know and see Him more clearly.  Our eyes are opened and our worship becomes more passionate.  We long for Him to come again and we cry out, O Come, O Come…!

So those three little words (expect, anticipate, prepare) opened up a door for me.  Although I grew up not knowing much about Advent, and never observed it, I am experiencing a new excitement about the Christmas season.  I am also learning more about waiting which is at the heart of Advent!  Because it’s been such a tough year for me, many questions saturate my mind.  Along with these questions comes a season of waiting.  Waiting on the Lord to reveal answers, direction, and purpose.  These scripture verses also express the theme of Advent:
  • Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14)
  • For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. (Psalm 62:5-7)
  • Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:31)
  • The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20)
  • I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Rom 8:18-25)
  • Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. (1 Peter 1:13)
You may be thinking, okay…those were the 3 words, but what about the scripture verse waking you at 3:33am?!  
      It’s Psalm 98:4  
                       “Shout to the Lord, all the earth; 
break out in praise and sing for joy!”
With this beautiful carol I can shout and sing for joy! As I have closely studied the lyrics of this Advent hymn and learned of its origin, it has a new meaning for me.  It is with heartfelt hope, longing, and waiting that I too can sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.  By the way, this week I am beginning a study by Ann Voskamp on the Greatest Christmas - The 4 Weeks of Advent!  This blog surely isn't coincidence and I didn't plan it this way!  It's simply God at work!
It's now 2019 and God is still at work and this blog was so timely for me! Again!  
Maybe you are awaiting something and your heart is longing to meet God in an intimate way.  Remember, trust is at the heart of intimacy!  Immanuel has come to fill the world with His light and illuminate your eyes. May He dispel the shadows of darkness that try to hide His glory, deliver distress, and cause a restless and weary heart.  Break out in praise and sing for joy for the Lord is good and His faithfulness endures to all generations!
​He will come to you if you but simply ask!  Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
Need an Advent devotional?  Anne Graham Lotz has one waiting for you at this link and it's free!
Click HERE for more information.
Expecting, Anticipating, and Preparing with a shout to the Lord during this season of Advent,
Sherry
Works Cited:
http://www.hymnary.org/text/o_come_o_come_emmanuel_and_ransom 
http://www.twoagespilgrims.com/doctrine/o-come-o-come-emmanuel/

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/series/introduction-to- advent/#ixzz3KbJ7xpRWhttp://www.cresourcei.org/cyadvent.html      
​ "Copyright © 2013 CRI/Voice, Institute"
Picture
Consider Joining Us in February as we focus our heart on THE ONE THING. Visit our Home Page for more info.
Picture
Picture
​If you are reading this blog through social media we would suggest that you sign up to receive the blog each week in your email inbox. It will come directly to you to read at your leisure. 

Enter your email in the subscriber box on the right at the top of this blog page on the website, then REPLY to the invitation email you will receive in your personal inbox.  Your email address is safe with us!
​

Follow ALL directions to completion!
Feel free to share our blogs on your social media 
or email them to a friend.
​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Sign Up to Receive our Blog via email.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

    Click to set custom HTML

    Archives

    July 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All




    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo from DDFic
  • Home
  • Restore Journal/Magazine
  • Spotify Playlists
  • Retreat FALL 2025
  • Events
    • Photo Gallery
    • Testimonials
    • Past Retreats
    • Reunion Pics
    • Thanksgiving Video 2017
  • Who We Are
    • Doctrinal Beliefs
  • Blog
  • Contact us
  • The One Thing Home Study
  • Book Us!
  • Donate
  • Melissa's Memorial Fund
  • Beauty & Truth Retreat 2024