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Advent Vespers: Amanda Vetsch

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Reflection on Psalm 148: 1-2,13

Photo by City Church CA on Unsplash

“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise him in the heights!

Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;

his glory is above earth and heaven.”

Psalm 128:1-2,13

As we read this Psalm, I鈥檓 imagining our voices joining with generations before us, all creation, and the cloud of witnesses, who have and continue to sing songs of praise. I can hear a large chorus with different parts coming in and out of focus. Maybe it sounds like a round, maybe there鈥檚 beautiful harmony, maybe some of the parts are really loud and full of energy, maybe others are singing quietly, reverently.

I imagine it sounds like something between a cacophony of noises and a harmonious symphony. When I imagine the songs of praises this way, I鈥檓 encouraged. I think it would be difficult, if not impossible, to keep the song of praise going just by myself, especially when I don鈥檛 always feel like praising God. Sometimes, I鈥檇 rather sing a song than a lament. Or not sing at all, and hold space for silence. I鈥檓 continuing to learn that praising God is not mutually exclusive, meaning it doesn鈥檛 have to be the only song I鈥檓 singing. We can: Praise and grieve. Praise and lament. Praise and ponder. And in this season of advent, may we continue to praise and wait.

Amanda Vetsch

Advent Vespers: Adrienne Kuchler Eldridge,鈥�02

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Hark! the herald angels sing – stanza 1

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

 

Hark! the herald angels sing,

鈥淕lory to the newborn King:

peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!鈥�

Joyful, all ye nations, rise,

join the triumph of the skies;

with th鈥檃ngelic hosts proclaim,

鈥淐hrist is born in Bethlehem!鈥�

 

I experience many emotions throughout the Advent season: anticipation, inspiration, content, curiosity, joy, and awe. Growing up one of my fondest memories of this season was the variety of music. The proclamation that rings out when 鈥淗ark! The herald angels sing鈥� is sung in a chorus of harmonious voices, with the piano, strings, and trumpets all playing along, bringing me back to a joyful memory that I can only feel in my body. I can feel it out to my fingertips and up through my center, the feeling of inspiration that something wonderful has happened. The music fills me down to my toes as I reach deep down into my diaphragm for a full breath to proclaim through song, 鈥減eace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!鈥�

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Advent Vespers: Jeremy Myers

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Psalm 91:9-16聽

9聽Because you have made the聽Lord聽your refuge,
聽聽聽the Most High your dwelling-place,
10聽no evil shall befall you,
聽聽聽no scourge come near your tent.


11聽For he will command his angels concerning you
聽聽聽to guard you in all your ways.
12聽On their hands they will bear you聽up,
聽聽聽so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
13聽You will tread on the lion and the adder,
聽聽聽the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.


14聽Those who love me, I will deliver;
聽聽聽I will protect those who know my name.
15聽When they call to me, I will answer them;
聽聽聽I will be with them in trouble,
聽聽聽I will rescue them and honour them.
16聽With long life I will satisfy them,
聽聽聽and show them my salvation.

If you camp a lot, then you know tent placement is incredibly important. A slope can cause the blood to rush to your head. A hill will send pools of water into your tent during a rainstorm. Dead branches above might come crashing down on you in a windstorm. Boulders uphill might let loose during the night. Your body is only as safe as your dwelling-place.聽

 

Many sleep in tents across our country tonight who are not in safe dwelling-places. They are temporarily homeless or have chosen this tent as their home. They are not safe. There is a scourge that comes near. This scourge is wealth inequity, the opportunity gap, racism, unjust housing policies, and our inability to address the mental health crisis. Yet, even to these, God promises to 鈥渂e with them in trouble鈥�, 鈥渢o rescue and honor them鈥�, and to 鈥渟atisfy them鈥�.聽

 

Oh, Lord. Send your angels to those with danger just outside their tents. Bear them up, and may we together tread on the lion and the adder of injustice that threatens them.