“Stir up your power, O Lord,
and with great might come among us;
and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory now and forever. Amen.”
From time to time, complacency and unbelief creep in, and we forget our own poverty, our own need for the gospel. We live from day to day trying hard enough, doing well enough, and we lose sight of the cleansing blood of Jesus and our utter dependence on him. Sometimes we wander so far on our own devices that grief and pain are the only things that drive us to craving deliverance, grace, mercy. Whatever our circumstances, may we always return with Advent’s longing to cry out, “Stir up your power, O Lord! With great might come among us!”