Don’t you just love Christmas Carols? Aren't you thankful we can sing these meaningful songs every year? What a way to celebrate the birthday of the King!

In the next weeks, let's look a little carols to remind us why we sing. As we celebrate this Advent, we'll begin with O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was first sung during Christmas Eve worship services by the medieval church in the 12th Century. Each stanza offers a unique greeting to the Babe Messiah based on titles given him within Scripture. Each stanza offers hope to Christ followers throughout the ages based on those same prophetic names.

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear.

Emmanuel we know from Matthew 1:23 literally means, "God with us." Isaiah 7:14 prophecies the coming of a Savior Messiah, God in flesh, among us.

And why did he come? To set us free. To pay the sin debt that no amount of our human goodness could ever repay. The name Emmanuel teaches that God is with us. No matter the challenge.

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer, Our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

The Dayspring, or Dawn, as the photo above depicts, is a title applied to the Lord in Job 38:12 and remembered in Luke 1:78.

What would cause you call someone the Dayspring? Our Lord Jesus bears that title to remind us that he is our Dawn. No matter the night.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, And order all things far and nigh;

To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go.

Wisdom with a capital W comes from 1 Corinthians 1:24 & 30. Jesus is both "The power & the wisdom of God." And as verse 30 says, he "has become for us wisdom from God - that is our righteousness, holiness & redemption."

I don't know about you, but life leaves me with lots of questions. Maybe I am not supposed to answer them all, but one thing I can know: Jesus is Wisdom. No matter the question.

O come, Desire of nations, bind All peoples in one heart and mind;

Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease, Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.

The fourth verse refers to Jesus as the Desire of nations. God spoke this prophecy in reference to rebuilding His Temple in Haggai 2:7. "I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, & I will fill this house with glory," God said.

Life is challenging. We tend to have lots of wants. But sometimes we can't even meet our needs. This title for Jesus tells us that he can meet our Desire. No matter the need.

No matter your challenge.

No matter your night.

No matter your question.

No matter your need.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee.