Advent to me is a season of tension. No, I’m not just referring to the awkward moments that come from holiday get-togethers or the tense conversations that happen when the whole family gets together. I’m talking about a different kind of tension.

Tension is what happens when we try to hold two things together that don’t seem to fit – and that’s what we do every Advent season. We hold together longing and celebration, which don’t seem to fit and the result is this tension. On the one hand, we have the longing for what is to come and, on the other, is the joy of what has come. We celebrate that Christ has come, as we long for him to come again and make all things new.

That’s why I love “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” especially the first verse and refrain. This song captures the tension of longing and celebration at the same time.

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

The first verse captures the longing. Romans 8:22-23 tell us that all of creation is groaning under the curse of sin, longing for redemption. I’ve felt that this year – and I know that you have too. That message resonates with me every year – but especially this year. 2020 has been a long year! It’s been a long year, filled with stresses and challenges. It has been a lifetime lesson in the biblical truth that things are not as they should be. This song puts a voice to those longings: “God, come and rescue us.” We are exiled outside the gates of our home, left captive in this fallen world.

But I get it. Many of you want to sing something happier during this time of year. You want to celebrate and the captivity that I just described sounds nothing like a celebration. That’s where the refrain of the song comes in: “Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.” Advent isn’t just an expression of our longing. It’s also a voice for our celebration. Advent is an expression of hope. While we wait for Christ to come and make all things new, we remember that he has come. The prophets looked forward to it, but we look back in history with assurance. Jesus came, died, and rose again to rescue us from sin and the curse it brings. That’s worth celebrating!

I love this song because its tension says what’s true. We are in longing for God to come and we’re in celebration that he has come. We’re looking forward to what’s yet to come and we’re looking backward at all that God has done for us. That’s not just the spirit of 2020. That’s the character of the entire Christian life. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can celebrate the joyful ending we have in store. But that ending isn’t here yet, so we wait together – long together – with patience and hope.