Come Lord Jesus series: Thursday First Week Advent

 Come Lord Jesus Series

Come Lord Jesus.

Entrance Antiphon:

“You, O Lord, are close,

and all your ways are truth;

from of old I have known of your decrees,

for You are eternal.”

(cf. Psalm 118:151–152)

Advent continues to shift our attention toward the nearness of God, and today’s antiphon makes this astonishingly personal: “You, O Lord, are close.” These words are not a theological abstraction. They are a confession of experience, a declaration that God is not distant or hidden but near — nearer than fear, nearer than confusion, nearer than breath. If Advent is the season of divine coming, it is also the season of rediscovering God’s nearness in the present moment.

The psalmist then anchors that nearness in God’s character: “and all your ways are truth.” Truth here does not mean mere correctness; it means steadfastness, reliability, faithful presence. To say that God’s ways are truth is to say that He does not deceive, abandon, or mislead. His ways may sometimes be mysterious, and His timing may stretch us, but His purposes are utterly trustworthy. Advent invites us to trust a God who walks with us even when the path is dim.

“From of old I have known of your decrees…”
This line reminds us that Advent is not simply about future fulfilment but also about memory — remembering how God has acted before. Israel’s story is filled with God’s interventions, promises kept, and mercies renewed. The psalmist looks back in order to look forward: the God who was faithful then will be faithful now. This remembering is a kind of spiritual discipline, especially in seasons when we feel stretched or uncertain.

Finally, the antiphon concludes simply: “for You are eternal.”
God’s nearness is not momentary. His truth is not temporary. His faithfulness does not fade with changing circumstances. The eternal God draws near today, in this hour of your life, with the same tenderness and strength He has always shown.

Advent gently realigns the heart: God is close, God is truth, God is faithful, God is eternal. And because of this, we can walk through today — whatever it holds — with a steadier spirit.

Practice for Today:
Take a slow breath and pray:
“Lord, You are close.
Let me sense Your nearness in the ordinary moments of this day.”