If you have not beheld the Lamb of God with Andrew Peterson, you simply must. Buy this album, sit down with your audio medium, close your eyes, and enter the world of one of the best tellings of the Christmas narrative ever produced. Seriously, it's that good.

BTW, the song "Labor of Love" may very well become a universal Christmas Eve service staple song. It begins, "It was not a silent night," and then goes on to speak of a travailing young woman on the streets of David's town. Peterson's songwriting shines brighter than ever in this record. This is an excerpt from "Labor of Love":

Noble Joseph by her side
Calloused hands and wearied eyes
There were no midwives to be found
On the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night
So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

Prayer for the Second Sunday of Advent:

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and for ever. Amen.