Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Celebrating Christmas

This year, Jeff and I simplified...no tree, no Christmas cards, just gifts, our annual family progressive dinner and some Christmas cookies. I just didn't make time to get to it all this year, and I'm only a little bit sorry, not much, just a little bit.

The Christmas Cantata at church was uneventful this year. No one in the choir fainted and fell off the risers, and almost everyone smiled. I don't think anyone fell asleep during the message and pastor preached a good sermon. I can't tell you what it was about, but I know it was good. It almost certainly had something to do with salvation, because it was one of two times a year he gets to preach directly to the twice-a-year-attending Chreasters, those who attend at Christmas and at Easter.

The poinsettia plants that honor the living and remember the dead decorated the entire front of the sanctuary. The candelabras glowed with holy candle light as we celebrated the birth of our Savior, the baby Jesus, born of a virgin and laid in a feed box, on that holiest of days in December.

We will officially celebrate on the 25th day of the month, commemorating the occasion when Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, the firstborn son of Mary, the mother of God. His birth was foretold by the prophet Isaiah. The Messiah was born so he could die to take away the sins of the world and so believers can live in eternity with God.

Over a thousand years ago, shepherds and wisemen came to worship the Christ child. On Thursday the 25th of December, we will celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and remember this occasion as the time when God became a man and the Word was made flesh.

My favorite Christmas hymn is "Lo, How a Rose Er Blooming." An oldie but a goodie. I've published the words of this hymn for you below. I wish you a Merry Christmas with your families. May you days be merry and bright, even if your Christmas isn't white.

Lo How a Rose Er Blooming

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah ’twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright, she bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

The shepherds heard the story proclaimed by angels bright,
How Christ, the Lord of glory was born on earth this night.
To Bethlehem they sped and in the manger found Him,
As angel heralds said.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True Man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.

O Savior, Child of Mary, who felt our human woe,
O Savior, King of glory, who dost our weakness know;
Bring us at length we pray, to the bright courts of Heaven,
And to the endless day!

No comments:

Post a Comment