Savior of the nations, come,
Virgin’s Son, make here Your home!
Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.
LSB 332, st. 1
“For my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:30-32
To see the Lord’s salvation is to see Jesus the Christ. Simeon saw Him as an infant being presented at the Temple for purification, when in reality He would purify the world with the shedding of His blood on the cross of Calvary. Advent is a penitential season of preparation for all of God’s baptized children. Penitential means that we are specifically focused on living in repentance by showing sorrow for our sins and trusting in God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We use this time leading up to Christmas to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth, or his first coming. Yet in doing this, we also look forward to His second coming on the last day. This looking forward is to be repentant and faithful. It looks toward seeing the salvation which God has prepared in the presence of all nations as a revealing light to all who might be saved for the glory of God’s children who have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection. May God bless you this Advent as you prepare for the coming of the Savior.
Let us pray: Almighty God, prepare our hearts for the coming of the Savior, that we might see His light and glory through His death and resurrection unto eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Written by Garrett Buvinghausen, Sem IV)