Looking for some inspiration for a devotional message this first weekend in Advent, I turned to the old green hymnal and read through some of the hymns for the season. They’re poetic and meaningful and helped me get my thoughts together. I’d like to share the first stanza of “Prepare the Royal Highway” from The Lutheran Book of Worship:
Prepare the royal highway; The King of kings is near!
Let ev’ry hill and valley A level road appear!
Then greet the King of glory, Foretold in sacred story:
Hosanna to the Lord, For he fulfills God’s Word!
After yet another season of construction, detours, road closings, and the frustration of trying to get from one part of town to another, having a level road appear before us sounds like a version of heaven, doesn’t it? After all, we have places to go and things to do, and usually not enough time for our going and doing. But after you stop, start, detour, and wait week after week, the day comes when the project is finished, and you roll along on a smooth, quiet road — and wasn’t it worth the hassle? Our lives are something of a construction project, and often we would like to fill in the holes and take out the bumps. As we begin the journey of Advent, let’s take the time to find ways to prepare for the arrival of the King of glory, coming to us in the form of a little child. The fourth stanza of the hymn reminds us, that for all the references to royalty, power, and glory, this is the true kingdom of God:
His is no earthly kingdom; It comes from heav’n above.
His rule is peace and freedom And justice, truth, and love.
So let your praise be sounding For kindness so abounding:
Hosanna to the Lord, For he fulfills God’s Word!
Your Friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers