The Servant’s Song:  Our Hymn of Gathering  |  By Steve Sumerel
Week 1, Day 1  |  November 29
Scripture:  Isaiah 49:1-6

“I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6b

On a dark and cold night following a long day’s hike my friends and I decided to retreat to our tents early and rest our weary bones…until…someone built a campfire. One by one we all emerged from our cocoons and sat huddled around the light and the warmth of a small, but steady fire.

Funny how light draws us together; there is something about light that dispels not only darkness, but our fear and our loneliness. In this Advent season, we celebrate the coming of a great light into a dark world. And like a little campfire on a cold dark mountain, this light of Christ draws us out of our individual darkness and loneliness. We gather around a common bond of our total dependence of the grace shared by God through the gift of God’s son.

We also gather around the voices of our heritage that help us come to that light. The Old Testament prophets gave the people of Christ’s time a place to begin understanding the meaning of this infant Messiah. But, in the two thousand years that have followed Christ’s earthly existence, we have had a chorus of voices harkening us toward a richer, more vibrant experience of our Lord.

Our devotions this week will be as echoes of important voices from our past. But, we must remember that the blessings of their words do not emanate from their age; they bless us with their never ending light that shows us a brighter future.

PRAYER:  O God, In the wonderful season of Advent, may the coming of your Son draw us into the light of hope and the assurance of your love for us. Amen.


Steve and Marie Sumerel are the proud parents of John Luke, a senior at NCSU. They love hiking and taking care of their dog, Darwin. Marie teaches in the Happy Hearts class; Steve serves on the pastoral staff of the church.