Blog

People Look East ~ Hymn 105

By: Alan Harvey

Posted: March 5, 2020

Category: Daily Devotional

Devotional Thoughts Based on the Glory to God Hymnal

Isaiah 40:3-5

A voice cries out, “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

People Look East

Stars keep the watch, when night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
shining beyond the frosty weather,
bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east. People, look east.
Love the star is on the way.

I readily admit that I am not much of an astrologer. Whenever I read or hear of a special celestial event, I most often will go out and gaze up into the sky to see what is so spectacular. If it is an eclipse, I take the necessary precautions.

Some years ago, I was driving in West Virginia when I spotted a thing of great beauty in the winter sky. For lack of a better description, I would call it a “balled up rainbow in a technicolor sky,” not long before sunset. I consider myself fortunate to have seen this event, but I never saw any printed record of the event.

Most of the time in late fall and early winter, sunsets can be extremely brilliant. If I am driving at the time the light of sun can be almost blinding. Add the glow of candles in windows, colored lights on trees, the shimmering of stars and the beautiful soft light of the moon and I am reminded of the glory of the Lord. This Advent hymn speaks of the brightness of sun and moon together. Love the Star is on the way and Love the Lord is on the way.

Prayer

O God, we thank You that Your glory was revealed in the coming of Your Son, Jesus. The brightness of Your glory would be like viewing an eclipse of the sun. To gaze upon Your brightness could be blinding reminding us that our posture should be one of kneeling and bending before you. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.