WEDNESDAY | “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
Wednesday | “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
Wednesday, December 03, 2025
Reading For Wednesday | Luke 1:78-79
A favorite verse for many, the third stanza names Jesus “Thou Dayspring”—the moment at sunrise when light breaks into darkness. The text echoes Luke 1:78–79, where Zechariah prophesies that the Messiah will come as the “sunrise from on high,” guiding our feet out of darkness and into the way of peace.
VERSE THREE:
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
VERSE THREE:
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Journaling Questions & Prayer Prompts
As you prayerfully work through this stanza of the hymn, remember—Jesus is not just bringing light; HE is the light! His presence breaks the night in our hearts long before circumstances change.
Where are you waiting for the light of Christ to rise in your life right now?
“Disperse the gloomy clouds of night” is a line for everyone facing emotional or spiritual darkness, dryness, or feeling stuck.
“Death’s dark shadows” could represent many things for each of us—fear of losing something, fear of the future, aimless or meaningless work, or anxiety about physical or emotional suffering.
Consider one of these breath prayers for the day:
“O come, Thou Dayspring, disperse the night.”
or
“Emmanuel, cheer my spirit.”
Where are you waiting for the light of Christ to rise in your life right now?
- What places in the world seem dark and desolate to you?
- Have you ever considered how Emmanuel might empower you to step into some of those dark places so that you can share the light of Christ?
Consider the next part of the prayer: “Come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here.” Remember that we are asking for Christ Himself, not just changed circumstances. As Psalm 73 says, “The nearness of God is my good” (NASB). Our HOPE is God coming near.
- Offer a prayer of surrender, naming the places where you struggle to want GOD more than you want a change in your circumstances.
- Ask GOD to help you be willing to surrender everything to Him—especially the things you know you are clinging to.
“Disperse the gloomy clouds of night” is a line for everyone facing emotional or spiritual darkness, dryness, or feeling stuck.
- In what way do gloomy clouds seem to hover over you?
- Can you name a current challenge—anxiety, disappointment, fatigue, grief, spiritual dryness?
- If you could ask GOD to “disperse the gloom” from one area of your life right now, what would that be?
“Death’s dark shadows” could represent many things for each of us—fear of losing something, fear of the future, aimless or meaningless work, or anxiety about physical or emotional suffering.
- What shadows linger over your heart right now that you want Emmanuel to dispel or push back?
- What is the most intense fear in your life that you have yet to face?
Consider one of these breath prayers for the day:
“O come, Thou Dayspring, disperse the night.”
or
“Emmanuel, cheer my spirit.”