The Christmas Carols Series
It all began with Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Sometime last week, I officially kicked off listening to Christmas music. 🎉 I used to time this with the first snow fall, but now that I live in the south, I'm finding that I need to re-work that tradition!
Anyways, there I was in 60 degree weather, listening to one of my favorite songs from Christmas at the Brooklyn Tabernacle...you know, the album from 1995 😂, and on the 6th track, the choir belts out, "Oh come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!" When they did, everything in me woke up. It was like I was hearing the phrase JOYFUL and TRIUMPHANT for the first time. Those two words set my mind whirring and filled me with wonder because THIS is why Jesus came...to offer to us the kind of lives that are marked by joy and triumph.
I mean, when was the last time you used the word, "triumphant" in a sentence? It is such an epic word. An epic word for a miraculous season. An epic word that describes the kind of life God has in himself AND offers YOU!
After that moment, my ears perked up in a fresh way and I found myself listening for just one line or stand out phrase as each Christmas carol played. I paid attention and wrote down what came to me, and so this series was born. Below are 3 of my favorite excerpts from the series. The rest can be found on Instagram. Merry Christmas!❤️
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Come, O Come Emmanuel is one my favorite Christmas carols. I love it because it captures what longing sounds like. Like the sound of baby's wail for help, the melody and lyrics are plaintive and wistful. When we were little, we cried like this. Now that we're older we don't as much and, instead, express our longings in the form of deep sighs or pensive stares as we gaze off into space.
But sometimes our souls need something more...much more.
The beauty of this centuries old song is that it releases that bottled-up, haunting heart cry. Can you hear it in the lyrics? Can you hear it in the chords? I can.
Even better though, the song names and identifies the One who will meet our deepest needs: Emmanuel...God with us.
The answer to our heart's cry is moving towards us. He is on the way. God HIMSELF! Our needs will be met. There will be relief at last. We have not cried in vain.
Yet In Thy Dark Streets Shineth, The Everlasting Light
Today is the officially the first day of winter. This means that daylight hours are at their shortest while the night is at its longest. ✨🌙
But today also marks a turning. A turning towards the light. A turning towards longer, brighter days. Right in the middle of the shortest day and longest night. This is why I love this line from the carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem...it speaks to this paradox exactly.
When I heard this line, it registered in a fresh way that Jesus was born well after the sun had set. I hadn't really thought much about that before, so I scurried over to Luke's gospel account to make sure it was true. The account seems to suggest it is.
On one hand, the time of his birth is just a part of the facts. I can totally imagine his Canva-created birth announcement:
Born December 25 at 8:52 PM 🎉
Weighing 7 lb 6 oz
Best baby ever born, literally
And YET, given that the details of his entire birth are full of meaning, I venture that the timing of his birth, at night, is important too.
Night. The time of day that's completely absent of light and warmth. The sun has set; the night is cold. All is dark. THIS is when the creator and source of all light was born.
*Cue metaphorical fireworks combined with mike drop*
I don't know about you, but I find a lot of grace and glory in the fact that Christ arrived in the dark of night. How beautiful and brilliant of him to arrive at, metaphorically speaking, the least hopeful and expected time of day.
And in his coming, he brought the warmth of his great affection for us, the light of his goodwill towards us, and the energy of hope revived. Just like the sun. 🌟🔥💥
I Played My Drum For Him, I Played My Best For Him
I know, I know—lines from the 1958 song, "Little Drummer Boy" seem a strange choice to end this Christmas Carols Series on....well, at first glance anyways.
But the reason I love this line is because of its simplicity. And at the start of a new year, we could all use a little simplicity, especially as we often set so many intentions for ourselves.
One of those intentions might be to make a difference in the new year in some way. Maybe you've asked yourself one of these questions as you surveyed the landscape of 2023.
📌 How can I live a life of greater purpose & meaning this year?
📌 What is my calling in this season?
📌 What does it even mean to seek God's kingdom first?
📌 I know my calling, but how do I walk more fully in it from a place of freedom rather than burnout?
📌 What is my truest and most authentic way to serve God?
As I think about my own journey, the journey of my friends and family, and all of our conversations around these questions, what I've found is that most of us have a laundry list of thoughts, concerns, and doubts surrounding walking in purpose because we've heard SO many (conflicting) answers. But I've come to find much grace in the advice hidden within the lines of this song:
Just show up
Bring what you have
Offer your best thing & try
Not perfectly, but your sincere authentic best
That's it
I get the sense that the drummer boy found his stride as he embraced the freedom of just bringing what he had to bring. He simply played. And you know what? It was enough. It was sufficient. It really was that simple.
Seeking God's kingdom can be that simple too. It isn't meant to be a weight but a beautiful invitation to participate, one that brings joy and delight to your Father in heaven when you do.
So just bring what you have and offer that to God this year. Do so from a place of freedom and simplicity, and rest in knowing that is enough.
Kemi