Advent Carol for December 23

Advent Carol for December 23

Written by Lise Caldwell

 

From the eastern mountains, pressing on, they come,
Wise men in their wisdom, to His humble home;
Stirred by deep devotion, hasting from afar,
Ever journeying onward, guided by a star.

There their Lord and Savior meek and lowly lay,
Wondrous Light that led them onward on their way,
Ever now to lighten nations from afar,
As they journey homeward by that guiding star.

Gather in the outcasts, all who’ve gone astray,
Throw Thy radiance o’er them, guide them on their way.
Those who never knew Thee, those who’ve wandered far,
Guide them by the brightness of Thy guiding star.

Onward through the darkness of the lonely night,
Shining still before them with Thy kindly light.
Guide them, Jew and Gentile, homeward from afar,
Young and old together, by Thy guiding Star.

Until every nation, whether bond or free,
’Neath Thy starlit banner, Jesus, follows Thee.
O’er the distant mountains to that heavenly home,
Where nor sin nor sorrow evermore shall come.

Light of life that shineth ere the worlds began,
Draw Thou near, and lighten every heart of man.

Sometimes I feel like the carol says everything I would want to say. As Robert Frost once responded, when asked to explain the meaning of one of his poems, “What do you want me to do–say it again in different and less good words?” My heart’s desire, at Christmastime and throughout the year, is for “those who never knew Thee” and “those who’ve wandered far” to be gathered in, until every nation indeed follows Jesus. Guide us, Lord, “young and old together” by “Thy guiding Star” so that this Christmas can be a foreshadowing of our heavenly home, where neither “sin nor sorrow” shall come.