Loyalty is the most precious thing on earth. I will never waste it foolishly.”
–Clair Huffaker (Cowboy)
“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
–Luke 1:45 (NLT)
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What a great time to worship the Lord. And my goodness the great worship songs we have–the carols! If you want exuberance in your worship; if you want fire and passion then look to the hymns. Why just take a gander at the following:
“Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.”
–Isaac Watts
Wow! If that doesn’t get your heart pounding then something’s wrong. The power behind that song is tremendous, unless you’re used to nonmelodic choruses. Or take this one:
“Hark! the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled.’
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic hosts proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.’
Hark! the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the new-born King.'”
–Charles Wesley
The Word is declared in these songs. John 1:1-4 comes alive; doctrine is there. Come on, get with it when you hear these tremendous, powerful songs.
And if you want a quiet time of stillness; a time of devotion and meditation, a person cannot beat the following:
“Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin mother and Child,
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.”
–Joseph Mohr
or
“What Child is this, who laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While 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.”
–William C. Dix
Oh, I could go on and on about how the carols lift up the name of the Lord and draw us closer to Him. I pity the person who cannot worship to the tremendous Christmas hymns of the church. Maybe you just haven’t gotten into the Spirit of Christmas. Perhaps we should all pray the following: “O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend on us, we pray; cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.” (Phillips Brooks) If you understand the concept of worship at Christmas time, then “good Christian men rejoice…”