Christmas Carols

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:12-20 (NIV)

From the earliest days of Christianity, Christians have been charged with telling the story of God’s Good News through our words and our actions. Sometimes we even sing the story. We sing praise to God for giving us His Son. We sing about God and how he sent Jesus to the world. It’s about giving God the praise and glory for the love He gave and continues to give us. The great composer J.S. Bach said, "The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul." How wonderful that in praising God, He refreshes and restores us.

Through time, the songs and styles of music have changed, but the message is the same. Jesus came into the world so that we would have eternal life. Sometimes these traditions of singing developed into songs that incorporated more secular ideas and used mythical images, merely providing entertainment. But eventually the tide would turn back to the reason for the songs which is praising God and telling the story of Christ. Reading through the lyrics of most Christmas hymns reveals a rich story that comes from scripture (Angels We Have Heard On High, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Joy to the World, and O Come All Ye Faithful ).

Singing these songs throughout this season makes us witnesses and proclaimers of who God is and the extravagance of His gift to us in Jesus Christ. Take time to look at these songs with your children and listen to their understanding of the lyrics. Think about the rich meanings in them when you sing them. When you are out shopping in the next few weeks and hear these songs in the stores, use them as a reminder of who you are in Christ, calling you to love others as God loves you. When someone cuts in front of you in the long check-out line sing to yourself, “God rest ye merry gentleman, let nothing you dismay…” and hang onto your “tidings of comfort and joy.” At night, when you are stuck in the noisy holiday traffic, sing “Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright…” and remember that the Prince of Peace offers you His heavenly peace, even in the storms of life. When you find yourself entangled in conflict with yourself or with others, sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and remember that because of His “mercy mild” “God and sinners reconciled.” Reclaim God’s peace in your life.

Sing and make your heart glad. Allow God to restore your joy. Sing praise to God and allow the Holy Spirit to make you a bold witness for Jesus Christ. In the next few weeks, if you see me pushing a cart through a store singing silently along with the store’s Christmas music, just smile and nod knowingly and join me on verse two.