View the Present through the Promise: Advent Song 1

I have been working on a number of things for advent and one of them is arranging and writing some advent songs that could be used in contemporary worship gatherings or with student groups and such.  The first is a wonderful song called, ‘View the Present through the Promise’ which I found the lyrics to in the most recent edition of the Interpretation journal.  I have never heard the choir version so I hope the lyricist, Thomas Troeger, doesn’t think I killed his song.  Either way, it is great lyrically in that it emphasizes the eschatological tenor of advent.  During Advent we celebrate the coming of God in the past, the present (in our own lives and world, and the future (the coming of new creation) and this song nails it.  I would say more about how inspirational singing a proleptic song is but the lyrics are by far superior.  So may the one who came with new life for the world breath newness into your own soul in order to transform our present in the light of God’s reconciled future.

Listen Here (to download right click and save as)

View the present through the promise, Christ will come again.
Trust despite the deepening darkness, Christ will come again.
Lift the world above its grieving through your watching and believing
in the hope past hope’s conceiving: Christ will come again.

Come Lord Jesus Come (x3) And Live In Me
Probe the present with the promise, Christ will come again.
Let your daily actions witness, Christ will come again.
Let your loving and your giving and your justice and forgiving
be a sign to all the living: Christ will come again.

Match the present to the promise, Christ will come again.
Make this hope your guiding premise, Christ will come again.
Pattern all your calculating and the world you are creating
to the advent you are waiting: Christ will come again.

If anyone wants all four chords let me know.