Songs for Advent

In the weeks leading up to our celebration of Christmas day, you’ll know that various strains of seasonal music begins to dominate the airwaves. Some of it is good, leading us into praise and worship of Christ’s arrival; but a fair amount of it, not so much. To help us lean into the season of Advent and its themes of hopeful anticipation, Lucy Collingwood has prepared a playlist. She writes:

I encourage you to listen to this playlist as you go about your day, or in moments of reflection on the Advent season. As a curated list, it’s best listened to not on shuffle. My hope is that this will help you slow down in this sometimes hectic season, to remember and ponder the mystery of God’s coming.

Advent is a time of anticipation and longing. We know the end of the story, and yet we live in the midst of it. We know that at the very first Christmas Christ came to this earth and took up our life, and yet we are still to see his kingdom come in its fullness. In this Advent season, we wait for Christ to come in his fullness in the world, including many areas of our lives. At the same time, we acknowledge he is present by his Spirit: he is with us.

So, we can wait with both holy longing and joyful anticipation. Whatever you are longing for this Advent season, I hope these tracks remind you of the one we are waiting on, the one who waits with us, the one who makes his home in us.