Advent: The Songs of Christmas

I heard of a lady who had been grieving for a long time over the loss of her husband. She had stopped going to church. Finally, after several of the members of the church had encouraged her and stood beside her, she committed to return. After the service, she greeted the minister at the church door. She told him that it was good to be back in church. She said, “I was afraid of one thing, though. I thought that maybe I had forgotten how to sing. It’s been so long since I did. But, Pastor, that message today touched my soul and I was surprised. Singing just comes naturally when you have faith.”

In Mary’s Song, in her affirmation of faith, her soul’s resounding praise and thanksgiving, we find a song as natural as the meadowlark or the robin. Mary’s Song is a Praise Song, a Sweet Song and a Deep Song. The truth is that to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas it must be your song. You may have been away for a while. Oh, you’ve sung the words of the hymns, but there’s been no happy song rising from your soul. Today mediate on what God has done for you, how He saved you and providentially ordered events to bless you. Then you will sing a song this Christmas like Mary, a song originating from a soul in love with God.

Others of you just need to repent and believe and let the music begin. Then you will really know what we mean when we sing:

Gentle Mary laid her child lowly in a manger, there He lay, the Undefiled, to the world a stranger, such a Babe in such a place, can He be the Savior?

Ask the saved of all the race who have found His favor.

Please pray with me.

Lord, we come to You, the Son of God and Son of Mary, and laud You as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Some of us may feel lonely and insignificant. But we thank You, Lord, that in choosing Mary over a princess, in choosing Nazareth over Rome, in choosing a manger over a palace, You show Your love for the least of us. And so we come to You in brokenness, in humility, but also in the simple, child-like faith of Mary. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1. From class notes, Knox Theological Seminary, 1991.