Advent 4 Slips into Christmas

Stir Up!

On the 4^th Sunday of Advent we heard the last of the “Stir Up” collects. 

This one was surely written for the impatient ones among us.

 It starts, “Stir up, O Lord, we beseech Thee, Thy power, 

and come and help us with Thy great might.”

 We cannot do this on our own.

 But, joy oh joy, we don’t have to! We have a Savior! 

If there were labeled packages underneath the Christmas tree 

each inhabitant in your home has checked to see which ones bore their name. 

Seasonal cards, emails, and phone calls

 have been arriving and our hearts are thrilled. 

This is a time for singing!

Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes,

The Savior promised long;

Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne

And ev’ry voice a song.

He comes the pris’ners to release,

In Satan’s bondage held.

The gates of brass before Him burst,

The iron fetters yield.

He comes the broken heart to bind,

The bleeding soul to cure,

And with the treasures of His grace

To enrich the humble poor.

Our glad hosanas, Prince of Peace,

Thy welcome shall proclaim,

And heav’n’s eternal aches ring

With Thy beloved name.



"I love the inclusion of the liturgical year collects, graduals, 

and introits in the hymn book of my childhood 

(The Lutheran Hymnal published in 1941.)

 Three of the four Sundays in Advent begin with the words "Stir Up!" 

I told my children to listen for those words as a clue

 to the start of getting ready for Christmas, but in truth,

 they are a plea for God to stir us up for joy and service. 

Christmas is has come now.

 I remember going to a community celebration 

when the lights on the  tree in front of the courthouse were lit. 

The junior high band was there to play Christmas music 

and they played carols encouraging us to sing along. 

On about the third carol and friend nudged me 

and said, "You can tell who the Lutheran's are, 

they are the ones who know all of the verses for memory." 

Christmas music stirs us up with the joy of Christ."

Thank you to Natalie Hartwig 

for this Advent 4- (into Christmas Day)

reflection.