This Advent season, we want to celebrate the coming of our Lord with you, and rejoice as we connect more deeply with Christ.
For this year’s Advent readings at The Austin Stone Community Church, we have again asked some of our Story Team artists to write poetic prayers that center around the birth of Jesus and the salvation that first came to us in a manger.
Over the next four weeks, we will share those prayers with you, and we hope that they will stir your heart to worship Jesus along with us.
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
When darkness lurked and shadows prowled,
the light of Your Son broke in.
How marvelous to stand in His perfect light,
to see clearly both His truth and my sin!
Brighter than a lantern held high,
more constant than a flame,
a light so all-consuming,
that it even breaks our shame.
He brings light into our darkest days
like a lamp unto our trudging feet.
The fullness of deity in one human man,
Thank you, Father, that in Him we are made complete.
Darkness is not able to extinguish
that which His light shines into.
Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead
for Christ is shining in you!
We don’t understand how you do it, Lord—
taking our darkness and turning it into light.
But there’s much about You that we simply must trust,
and we’ll understand one day when our faith becomes sight.
We need Your perfect light like the trees that grow,
so we stand as they do, reaching our limbs to the sky.
We exalt you, King Jesus, and worship Your name,
with arms outstretched to You we cry.
Thank you, sweet Jesus, for breaking through our chains,
our sin and our shame to the ocean depths You hurled.
You are the true light who gives light to all.
Jesus, You are the Light of the World!
