The other day, I was remembering the years of Christmas piano recitals when our boys were taking lessons. On a December Sunday afternoon, I would settle in to a church pew and brace myself for a long line of promising students, each with several polished pieces to play. At some point, I would fall asleep until Kathy would nudge me awake with the good news that it was now time for juice and cookies.

But when it was time for David and Timm to play, I would be wide awake and seized with anxiety, hoping that they would make it through their pieces. Like most young pianists, they would often “hit the wall” at some point during their performance. A wrong note would be played, and the music would stop, until a starting place could be found and another attempt made to scale the mountain. It was as if the piano refused to continue playing until the right note was located. With experience, a pianist learns to keep playing when a wrong note is struck. For it is best to continue playing, to finish the piece.

In the season of Advent, we learn what it means to continue in faith amidst the apprehension and perplexity of life. We have a song to sing, a song of redemption, and we sing it, not because our lives are carefree or prosperous or assured, but because our redemption is drawing near. The song is more important than the perfect playing of each note. The song continues, even in our anxiety about what is going on around us. The song draws us to the redemption that is near.

So during Advent, we sing a song of hope. The song arises out of the anguish and perplexity of life that is described in Luke 21:25-36. While people are fainting from terror and apprehension, the call comes to “stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near”:

    “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and rescue captive Israel.”

During Advent, we sing the Biblical texts of hope.

The song of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79): “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.” This is the song of joy that comes from seeing God work his redemptive plan in Christ.

The song of the prophet (Isaiah 12:2): “The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.” This is the song of faith that comes from knowing the presence of God and being upheld by God when we are weak or afraid.

The song of Mary (Luke 1:47-55): “My soul praises the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” This is the song of remembrance, a retelling of all that God has done from the time of Abraham until today. “He has performed mighty deeds. He has filled the hungry with good things.” The song of remembrance sustains us in times of uncertainty.

During Advent, we sing our hope. If we hit a wrong note or lose our place, we continue to sing, because we know in our hearts some Good News.

    “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” — Isaiah 9:2