Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
from “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
most beloved of Christmas carols. Originally written in 1737 (or 1739, date uncertain), the
original lyrics were modified by evangelist George Whitefield 1754 and again in 1782 when the
words were finalized. While many people love this carol, few have paused long enough to reflect
on the message it contains.
and truths to people. Notice these lines from the carol,
settings, taking on human flesh, only to give His life for us so that we sinners may be reconciled
with the Father. That’s the Gospel! That’s the Good News this Christmas season and always.
As Christmas begins to fade into the background and the new year approaches, may the true
reason for Christmas prepare you for the wonders of God’s love in 2021.
and that we give You all thanks and praise. Forgive us when we fail to show love to others as
You first loved us. Fill us with anticipation for the blessings that You have waiting for us in the
coming new year. Amen.
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New
22 Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)
“New” is fun and exciting!
New clothes for Christmas are worn on the first day back to school. We wish that the new car smell would linger in our automobiles for years. That new puppy provides hours of fun and great photo opportunities with the children.
We look to January 1 to bring us the “new” feeling. Resolutions are designed to rid us of old habits, old behaviors, old and harmful routines. We put off the old lifestyle that caused ill-health and negatively affected our relationships.
But what’s so magic about January 1? Where is the power behind the turning of a page on the calendar? We know that there isn’t any. It’s really about our resolve, our determination, our doggedness.
History proves that our resolve is not all that powerful or lasting. We all too often return to those old habits, failing to control our anger and urges.
St. Paul reminds us, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).
It’s not that the Christian faith guarantees a life free from harmful habits. Not at all. We are all sinners and we all struggle with temptation and with the frailty of our flesh. Again, St. Paul weighs in on this when he writes, 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me (Romans 7:15-20).
O gracious Jesus, so often I struggle with my faults and failures. I know that I am a sinner and I know that I am forgiven by Your life and death. As You rose from the grave with new life offered to me, give to me Your Holy Spirit that I may live to glorify You and to serve others. In Your name I pray. Amen.
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Joy to the World
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
Psalm 98:4-6
Inspired by the words of Psalm 98, Joy to the World was the most published Christian hymn in North America in the 20th century. First published in 1719 and written by Isaac Watts, the hymn beautifully captures the joy expressed in the Psalm. But what is it about this hymn that makes it so popular?
Many churches end their Christmas Day worship with this song. Who can sing this hymn and not be filled with joy? The carol describes almost every part of creation as singing with joy about the birth of the Savior.
With the fall into sin, not only did mankind come under the curse of sin, but so did all of creation. We see the fallen state of the world all around us. We know that things are not as they were meant to be when God created the heavens and the earth. Left to ourselves, we would be lost forever with no hope. No matter how hard we try to be good and correct our errors, we always fall short. If things are to be made right, we need a Savior.
And thanks be to God that that is exactly what He provided. Through the birth of Jesus, God delivered on His promise to make all things right again. No longer do we need to rely on our own goodness, but instead we lean on Him who covers us with His righteousness. In so doing, our hearts are filled with joy and praise for all of His mighty works.
While sin still remains and our world is still under the curse, we look forward to His return and the restoration of all things. In His time, He make all things new and the praises that we sing now will never end. There was joy to the world that day that the Savior was born, and there will be even more when He returns. Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Prayer: Lord, though we have done nothing to deserve Your love and grace, You pour it out on us abundantly. Thank You for the gift of forgiveness and the promise of life eternal for the sake of Jesus in who’s name we pray. Amen.
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Peace of God
Only a fool would try to explain a “peace of God which transcends all understanding,” so here goes. This peace of God is not rationally comprehensible. You can’t logically explain how a Christian is at peace while her family is in turmoil or her finances are in shambles? This peace of God is spiritually comprehended. When God speaks to the believing heart his promise to make all things work out for our good and to give us strength to cope and a way out when we can’t anymore, the Christian experiences peace. The Word of God is that powerful and the Comforter is that reassuring.
The apostle gives us a path to such peace, beginning with “rejoicing in the Lord.” The Bible nowhere tells us to rejoice in the circumstances of our life. Sometimes life stinks. But we can always rejoice in the Lord who rules our life with grace and truth. “Gentleness” is not over-reacting to people and events that are upsetting. When you remember that “the Lord is near,” you quit thinking that you’re facing tough times alone; and his return is near, so how significant are our problems anyway. Prayer is the apostle’s prescription for dealing with what seems impossible. Let go of your death-grip on problems and let God handle what you can’t. “With thanksgiving” is an important notation. When you’re thanking God for blessings instead of complaining about problems, your heart finds peace far more readily.
This peace of God is a guard against things that mess up your mind and heart, like the guilt and regret and bitterness that make your past a dark cloud hanging over your life. God’s forgiving love takes care of that stuff. The peace of God is the guard against doubt and stress and fear that distort your view of the present. Turn down the demonic sirens in your head, and your heart will find rest. The peace of God protects your future as well, from worries and what-ifs. He’s got all that covered. You don’t have to understand how the peace of God works. Just look once more into the manger that holds your God in human flesh, see the lengths he went to assure you of his presence and his love. Peace is with you.
OK, God, I get it. I don’t have to figure everything out and I don’t have to manage everything myself. Get into my head with Your truth and into my heart with Your love; and let me know Your peace. Then let that peace seep into my life. Amen.
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The Reason for Christmas
“Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.” from “What Child is This?”
How was your Christmas? For many families across the country, it was unlike any other. Family gatherings were smaller in many cases; some did not even occur. But does that mean that there was no Christmas?
Perhaps this year more than most, it struck me how television programs emphasized how Christmas is all about family and friends, about showing love and being nice to one another. Really? Do they seriously think that these are at the heart of Christmas?
While there is nothing wrong with being nice, showing love, and spending time with family and friends, if that is what Christmas has become, we are of all people most to be pitied (borrowing a phrase from the apostle Paul).
But as Christians, we know the real reason for Christmas. We love to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And while the birth of any child is something to be celebrated, this was a child like no other. But what child is this that we just celebrated?
One of the best parts of Christmas for many people is listening to and singing the beautiful and classic Christmas hymns and carols. In our home, the Christmas music went on early this year (mid-November). Even as I write this today, I have it playing in the background.
One of my personal favorites is “What Child is This?” Written by W. Chatterton Dix in 1865, the lyrics were set to a popular pub tune by this insurance salesman. What an interesting combination, but one that has produced a song that not only shares the story of Christ’s birth, but also the reason He came.
Consider those words again, ““Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, the cross be borne for me, for you. Hail, hail the Word made flesh, the Babe, the Son of Mary.” Without the cross, there would be no reason to celebrate the birth. As beautiful and important as Christmas is, we must never take our eyes off of the reason Christmas was necessary. Because of our sins, God needed to step into our world, take on our flesh, and die for our sins so that we would have life with Him. Now that’s something to celebrate!
Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank You for sending Your Son into the world to give His life for us. May that be our celebration today and always in His name. Amen.
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