One would almost
think that this last Sunday in Advent should have the emphasis on joy- instead
it is peace- but that is not our theme this year so we carry to the end this
idea of joy- everlasting joy. If we find true joy in Jesus, who comes to redeem
us, then that joy is with us always.
Note, Isaiah speaks of rejoicing with songs, which leads me to a pet-peeve. We celebrate Advent in our country with Christmas songs from after Thanksgiving to Dec 25 and then it is all over. Those few of us who celebrate many days after His birth, if we’re
lucky we’ll get some religious songs like "Away in a Manger", "O Little Town of
Bethlehem" or "Silent Night" which sing of His birth.
There are so many songs- so much beautiful music- that prepares us for the birth of our Savior, yet we often only hear Jingle Bells or Rudolph the red nose or dashing through snow..........
“Every
Valley Shall Be Exalted” from Handel’s Messiah is a great example as is “O Come, O
Come Emmanuel”, and my favorite “O Holy
Night”. Lesser known but still beautiful “On These songs are about the first coming or the second coming of Christ and they certainly do more to spiritually prepare us than the secular ones about reindeer and sleigh rides!.
This last Sunday before Christmas we move closer to the day on which we
celebrate Christ’s birth, amidst the hustle of preparation and shopping and
baking, the rhythm that Advent brings helps us remember the gifts of this
season: hope, peace, joy and love. The journey of Advent to Christmas reminds
us of God’s gift to us in sending His Son.
At
Christmas we celebrate the life of Christ; a life that was itself an expression
of love. Our response to God’s gift is to live a life that is an expression of
His love. We celebrate that, through Jesus, God made His love visible. One of our main ways we all celebrate this season is through song. May they reflect the holiness of the time.
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