Advent is a unique season. It’s the more gritty side of the Christmas story. The church fathers chose the darkest time of the year to celebrate the dawning of the Light of Lights in the birth of Christ, the entrance of hope into darkness.
Advent is a time where we acknowledge our need for God to come down to earth and save us. It’s about preparation, yearning, longing for the advent of our Savior.
It’s a story of contrasts – God as a baby. A king in a manger. A birth welcomed not by crowds and royalty, but by outcasts and foreigners. Ultimately it is a story of hope for the hopeless, healing for the broken, and light in the darkness.
Our worship music in Advent should reflect that emotion. There’s a place for joy, a necessary and central place for celebration, but that joy and celebration has it’s most weight when seen in the context of the suffering and longing from which it emerges. So Advent music should have a dark edge, a sense of tension and angst, which points us to the darkness of our own hearts that longs for the light of Christ.
In light of all of this I thought I’d compile a list of songs that help foster that Advent spirit. Enjoy.
