Jesus

The Story Behind the Song

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I always love reading about classic hymns and carols and the stories of their inspiration and origins. Hymns like It Is Well with My Soul come out of tragedy and heartbreak, but the message they bring has lived on long after the writers have gone to glory.

The carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day has a similar story that I found recently. I’ve copied and pasted it and included the link to the original post:

“On Christmas Day in 1863, the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow listened to the bells from a nearby church, overwhelmed by loss.

Two years earlier, his wife had burned to death in a fire, and he had also been badly burned trying to save her. At times, his grief was so great that he feared that he would be sent to an asylum.

His son had also been wounded in the Civil War and was temporarily paralyzed. As he listened to the church bells, Longfellow wrote a poem that reflected his grief:

‘In despair,’ he wrote, ‘I bowed my head. There is no peace on earth, I said.’

But he ended the poem, which was later put to music, on a note of triumph.

‘Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on Earth, good will to men’

This Christmas Day will be 161 years….and the song still brings the same sense of settledness and confident hope to millions across the globe!

Do you hear the bells!! Open up your heart and hear them this Christmas!!”

Joy Is Coming

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“Joys are always on their way to us. They are always travelling to us through the darkness of the night. There is never a night when they are not coming” (Amy Carmichael).

That’s the whole point of Advent, I think. It’s to remind us that there was a time before Christ, a world before God broke through into history and humanity and became a baby. There was a time of waiting and anticipation of the prophecies that foretold of a coming joy that would be for all the people.

That’s what Advent is all about. We wait with joy. On this side of the manger, we wait for the second coming when Jesus arrives not in a cradle but as a king, not as a lamb to be slain but as a lion to conquer.

Even in the darkest night, joy is still on the way. Even when hope seems lost and God seems furthest away, joy is getting closer and closer. In the midst of despair and death, joy is practically knocking on the door.

In this hurry up culture, we’ve relegated Christmas to one day out of the calendar year, but in ye olden days they made it into a 12 day celebration where people opened their gifts slowly, one per day, and savored the meaning of the incarnation and Emmanuel, God with us. I wish we could get back to that pace.

But even if all the decorations come down on December 26 or January 1, we can still hold on to the joy that Christmas brings. The hope doesn’t go away with the new year, but gets bigger and stronger and better as time passes. Just as the child born in the manger doesn’t live in our hearts only one day of the year but all the days of the year (from my favorite adaptation of A Christmas Carol).

Let’s not lose sight of joy in the midst of buying and wrapping and baking and decorating. The reason is that joy is almost here. God is with us. Jesus is coming soon.

Dropping the Needle

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There’s really nothing like dropping the needle on a record to bring back instant memories of Christmas childhood days for me, especially when it’s something the family listened to back in the ye olden days referred to as the late 1900s.

It’s the physical act of positioning the record arm in just the right spot and letting it fall that does so much more than simply pressing play on a CD or cassette player. And don’t get me wrong. I still have CDs (but not really any cassettes).

For me, there are essentials when it comes to the Christmas experience. Seeing Behold the Lamb of God at the Ryman has to be one. Also, experiencing the lights at Opryland Hotel, as well as walking through the decorations at Cheekwood.

But I have my own list of movies and music that is essential to any proper Advent/Christmas season. Movies like It’s a Wonderful Life or White Christmas are always required viewing. Musically speaking, it’s not Christmas without Nat King Cole, A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack, or Bing Crosby. There are more, but it would take too long to list everything.

I understand that you can just go to Spotify or Apple Music for a playlist, but it’s not the same. It doesn’t give me the nostalgia the way playing a record and then having to flip it over to get to the second side does.

As always, I welcome your favorite Christmas movies or albums, so please comment and list your essentials. And thanks again for being faithful readers of these posts. That means the world to me.

Nothing Shall Be Impossible

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“And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:36-37, KJV).

I went to check out the Ice! exhibit and to see the lights at the Opryland Hotel. It hit me in all the right feels as it does every year. I always love seeing the grand old hotel decked up in festive lights and decorations.

On my bucket list is to stay a night in that hotel, preferably in a room overlooking the Delta atrium and ideally around Christmas time. After that, I think I could just about die and go to heaven. But maybe not right away.

But anyway, back to the story. There’s a nativity setup outside the front of the hotel that I always visit. There’s a narrator over a loudspeaker reading from the Christmas story in Luke 1-2. Probably because of public domain, it’s in the ye old King James. Plus, I’m sure everybody over a certain age remembers Linus reciting the passage in A Charlie Brown Christmas.

This year, the line that hit me was about how Mary’s cousin Elizabeth was in her sixth month. She had previously been unable to conceive or bear children, and back in those days it was shameful to not have children.

So I love where it says that she who was previously known by her shame was now known by being the miraculous mother of a boy who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. I mean how cool is that?

Somehow, the ol’ KJV rendering hit me more forcefully this time: nothing shall be impossible with God. Any promise He’s ever made is as good as done. Any dream He’s put in your heart or desire He’s planted in you will come to pass because there’s no such thing as impossible to God.

I always love what I heard a pastor say once that what seems impossible to us isn’t even remotely difficult for God. You might say He specializes in making the impossible possible.

So I snapped my usual 1,000 photos, ate my pizza from Paisano’s, got in my 10,000 steps, and a good time was had by all. Even the weather cooperated.

And I was reminded yet again of the faithfulness of God. How many more times will it take, Lord, before I finally get it? Maybe just one more.

The Funeral of Your Own Independence

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“The things that are right, noble, and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God’s best. Once we come to understand that natural moral excellence opposes or counteracts surrender to God, we bring our soul into the center of its greatest battle. The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).

A lot of what passes for Christianity is simply behavior modification. Back in the day, there were a lot of don’ts. Don’t drink, don’t gamble, don’t play cards, don’t dance, etc. As one pastor put it, we’d get to church on Sunday and celebrate that we hadn’t done anything.

But Christianity is a lot more than being moral. If you want to play that game, the standard is impossibly high, as in be perfect as God in heaven is perfect. Simply put, you can’t be good enough. But Jesus could. And Jesus was.

Christianity is not behaving better. It’s not being an upstanding citizen or a good moral human being. It’s about surrender. It’s about dying to self. It’s about letting God form the Christ-life within you and make you more like Jesus.

As my friend says, it’s not about making bad people good. It’s about making dead people alive. It’s about being transformed rather than just upgraded. And Christmas is the season where we celebrate the hope that means that we can be better or more improved but made brand new.

Fall On Your Knees

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Tonight is a post from a sort of guest blogger. Basically, I saw something in a post that I knew needed to be shared and copied and pasted. It’s from three years ago and it spoke to my heart, so I hope it will speak to yours:

The words ‘the weary world rejoices’ have been on a constant replay in my mind today. I finally stopped long enough to figure out what song it comes from … ‘O Holy Night’. It’s not necessarily one of my most favorite Christmas songs to sing simply because as an alto I don’t prefer the key it’s often played in. I try to avoid making my vocal cords bleed from trying to sing notes I can’t hit! Nevertheless, I love hearing the song sung by sopranos and tenors. 😊

Once I remembered where the lyrics came from, I thought about the first words of the chorus … ‘fall on your knees’ … I’ve always interpreted those words to mean we should bow in reverence and awe to the Lord. I believe that’s what the author meant but I was struck by another thought. What if ‘fall on your knees’ is also an invitation for the weary soul to rest?

All is well. Our Salvation has come in the form of a baby. He is the One who will restore what has been broken. He is the only One who can offer “a thrill of hope” in a world full of “sin and error pining”. We no longer must strive to make things right. He has come to make all things new. We can fall on our knees in rest, worship, and restful worship.

Only then from that place of restful worship, will we be able to “hear the angels sing”. We will live from a place of Gospel-bought peace and live out His ‘law of love’. As Ann Voskamp says, ‘Peace is not the absence of problems, but the presence of God.’ Through His presence and peace, we can break the bondages we have been living in and join with fellow believers to “praise His holy name”.

Whether you are in a place of deep pain, all-encompassing grief, soul-weariness, or great joy, I am praying you can find the time to receive His invitation to rest, worship, and “praise His holy name”.

‘Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light’. Matthew 11:28-30

Just a thought for this Tuesday in December” (Melody Amason).

Check this version out of “O Holy Night (Hear the Gospel Story)”. I love what they did with the other two verses and choruses. It’s incredible!

(Also from her post).

What Rocking Chair is This?

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I had a bit of a surreal, random moment earlier today. I was at one of my favorite places in Nashville, the Rabbit Room. I was sitting in a rocking chair on the wraparound porch, basking in the blazing sun on a wintry day.

Suddenly, I heard a sound as if it were coming from a distance. It took me a while to place the melody — Greensleeves, or as it is more commonly known, What Child is This. Whatever it was sounded like either a trumpet playing low or a trombone playing high. I sat there and let the words fill my mind as the music played:

“What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While the good shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary

Raise, oh raise, the song on high
His mother sings her lullaby
Joy, oh joy, for Christ is born
The Babe, the Son of Mary

What Child is this
What Child is this (what Child is this)

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary” (William Chatterton Dix).

Advent needs to be a time of reflection rather than a time of rushing around. I get that people are busy, but if there’s no margin for marveling at the mystery of the incarnation, then we’re too busy. We’ve let too many unimportant things get in the way of the main thing.

So let us come and adore the Christ child this Advent season in the midst of all the buying and wrapping and decorating and baking. Let us remember He’s why we’re celebrating.

Season’s Greetings?

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A few years ago, it seemed like everybody was getting bent out of shape over retail workers not saying Merry Christmas to every customer. It was a thing.

Apparently, life was a lot easier then so that there weren’t more pressing issues or more dire problems to deal with other than people who may or may not know about the Christ of Christmas getting the semantics right.

Don’t get me wrong. I love hearing Merry Christmas. I sometimes even remember to say it. Sometimes I just say, “Have a good day” and then walk away wondering why I didn’t say Merry Christmas.

But I do think that believers have been known to expect lost people who don’t have a regenerated heart and mind to act saved when people who are supposed to be the ones who know Jesus are the most obnoxious and rude customers. There’s a reason why people at restaurants hate working on Sunday.

I still think that just possibly instead of expecting to hear Merry Christmas everywhere we go, we should instead exhibit the qualities of the Christ in Christmas. Maybe we need to be a little kinder or a little more patient. Perhaps instead of forcing someone to parrot Merry Christmas, we do our part to make their Christmas a little merrier by how we live out Jesus in front of them.

People might want to know Jesus if they saw Him lived out by the people who profess to know Him. They might want to follow Jesus if they saw a real difference in the lives of those who go to church every Sunday. What turns them off isn’t Jesus, but people who profess Jesus with their lips and deny Him by their lifestyle (thanks to Brennan Manning for that one).

Oh, and don’t get me started on the whole Xmas thing. By the way, you do know that X is also a Greek letter and can be used as an abbreviation for Christ, right? Just checkin’.

Christian Celebrity

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“Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).

I heard something on a podcast that’s been living in my head rent-free ever since. Basically, we weren’t made to be famous. It’s not something that most of us can handle well. To put people on a pedestal because of the ability to sing or act or preach is contrary to what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about.

One thing we do is immediately upon finding out someone believes in Jesus and can sing is to put them in front of a lot of people without any kind of discipleship or even finding out what they actually believe. The result is a whole myriad of trainwrecks of people who derailed morally or have deconstructed to the point where they no longer believe anything or have watered down the faith to the point that it’s basically meaningless.

We weren’t called to be famous. We were called to be faithful. Maybe what we need are less singers and actors and dancers and people on a stage with a spotlight and more people behind the scenes serving and washing feet. We need less Christian celebrities and more servants.

Hopefully, this is not a bashing session. I hope it’s to get us to the point where we don’t seek to elevate people to the place that only God deserves and in the process put tremendous pressure on them to somehow be all things to all people and be perfect instead of allowing them to be human.

I still remember one year how I commented one year that so many celebrities were passing away. One friend wisely commented that every day a hero passes and very few people know about it. The real heroes are the ones who often go unnoticed and unacclaimed because they’re not seeking attention but to make the world better. So many are doing the faithful work of faith in secret and are themselves unaware of the eternal impact they’ve made.

I love that people get a chance to represent Jesus well in front of a camera or a crowd, but better yet is a live of sacrifice that that leads to the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

It’s Christmas Music Season

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My favorite time of the year has officially begun. One of the many reasons for Advent and Christmas being the best is because of all the great music (including the album shown above) that I love to revisit every year around this time.

I get nostalgic around the middle of November, and I’m drawn to the music that my parents and grandparents have loved. I go back to those old records I listened to when I was little and couldn’t wait for Santa to show up.

I really believe that music is the closest thing to time travel that we have. It’s amazing how certain songs can conjure up memories and images from the recesses of your mind and almost bring them back to life again. I can almost see the faces and hear the conversations and smell the bread baking in the oven.

The last two years, I have been tracking down all the old records from way back when, especially those classic Christmas recordings of yore. As much as I like some of the new music (or more accurately, a small fraction of it), I yearn for the tried and true acts like Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and so many others who set the standards and recorded the definitive versions of so many Christmas songs that we all know and love.

So from now until possibly the middle of January, I will be revisiting my Christmas collection (and adding to it whenever I get the chance). Throw in a peppermint mocha and a comfy chair and I am a very happy dude.