Rachel's Reflections » faith

Advent Calendar 4.5 Christmas Day

Rachel — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 13:59:20 +0000

Week Four: Love: Day Five

We’re finally there! The day we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived! It’s Christmas Day! Our Savior and our king is here! The One we’ve been waiting for is here! Rejoice! We have Hope and Peace with God! Rejoice, in His love! Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! (Psalm 100:1) Rejoice!

Galatians 4:4-5

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

(You can listen to it here. The original French is here. And a more literal English translation is here. Do check it out.)

He is Born

He is born, the holy Child,
Play the oboe and bagpipes merrily!
He is born, the holy Child,
Sing we all of the Savior mild.

Through long ages of the past,
Prophets have foretold His coming;
Through long ages of the past,
Now the time has come at last!

He is born, the holy Child,
Play the oboe and bagpipes merrily!
He is born, the holy Child,
Sing we all of the Savior mild.

O how lovely, O how pure
Is this perfect Child of heaven;
O how lovely, O how pure
Gracious gift of God to man!

He is born, the holy Child,
Play the oboe and bagpipes merrily!
He is born, the holy Child,
Sing we all of the Savior mild.

Jesus, Lord of all the world,
Coming as a Child among us,
Jesus, Lord of all the world,
Grant to us Thy heavenly peace.

He is born, the holy Child,
Play the oboe and bagpipes merrily!
He is born, the holy Child,
Sing we all of the Savior mild.

Merry Christmas!

Advent Calendar 4.4

Rachel — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:05:08 +0000

Week Four: Love: Day Four

I really like this song. It’s solemn but beautiful. I think it’s very appropriate for this Christmas Eve. And as it’s about night and this is Christmas Eve, I decided to wait until evening to post it. This song reminds us that while we are waiting for Christmas and it’s almost over, in the midst of our joy and celebrating, we should take the time to be solemn and worship the One whom this holiday was created to honor.

Thank you, Jesus, for your redeeming grace. Thank you for being that baby in the manger. Thank you for Christmas.

Luke 2:15-16

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Silent Night

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.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.

Advent Calendar 4.3

Rachel — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 02:00:06 +0000

Week Four: Love: Day Three

We’re almost there. Christmas is almost here. This has always been a favorite of mine, perhaps because it’s in a minor key, and I love songs in minor keys.

Luke 2:11-12

For there is born to you this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.

(You can hear it here.)

What Child Is This?

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.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
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.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

v

Advent Calendar 4.2

Rachel — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:47:19 +0000

Week Four: Love: Day Two

This is traditionally a children’s carol and a sweet one. It seems real fitting to include it here during the last few days before Christmas.

Luke 2:7

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

(You can hear it here.)

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.

Fourth Sunday in Advent–Love

Rachel — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 02:01:28 +0000

Today is the fourth and last Sunday of Advent. Christmas is almost upon us. For four weeks we have waited for this day. We started out with Hope. We started out remembering our sins and our need for a Savior and the prophecies to the People of God telling them that God would send them a Savior, for they too needed one. And we remembered how they waited for long centuries until finally the Word became flesh and Jesus was born.

And then the second week we continued with Peace. We reviewed how Jesus is the one who brought us peace and reconciliation with God, and how He will come again to bring peace on earth as the angels sang. We have already waited long centuries for that and may have to wait long centuries yet, but we can be assured that just as the prophecies were fulfilled the first time when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, even though some thought it would never happen, that the rest of the prophecies will yet be fulfilled. Jesus is our Hope, and He is our Peace.

And then the third week we celebrated with Joy! Christmas is almost here. The time of waiting is almost at an end. God’s word fulfilled! What glory! Jesus, here, among us. The Desire of all Nations has come and He deigns to walk the land as one of us, as the poorest of us. And Jesus came for one reason–as the angel told Joseph: to save His people from their sins.

And so we come to the fourth week. The theme of this week is Love. This week we examine a love that goes two ways. The first way is from God to us. As it says in the verses below it was the love of God that prompted Him to think of this solution for our sin and rebellion and outright hatred of Him: to come among us and to suffer the punishment for that sin Himself. It was love. It was love that caused Jesus to be born in that manger. It was love that let Him walk among us and heal us and listen to us and care about us and suffer our hurts and griefs (Isaiah 53). It was love that put Jesus on the cross. It was love that caused Him to rise from the dead. It was love.

And as we reflect on His great love, it is only natural that the joy we felt in week three should turn to love. That is the second direction of love mentioned above: from us to God. We love Him because He first loved us. How great is that love! And how paltry sometimes our love in return. But this week as we reflect on Jesus’ birth, our Hope and Peace, and as we rejoice that our sins have been forgiven, and we have been reconciled to God, we do love Him. And as is only natural, our love turns to worship. We fall on our faces in front of One whose love is of such magnitude. There is none greater.

Come and worship. O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

LOVE

The fourth and last purple candle is lit.

I John 4:9-10

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

I John 3:16a

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

Ephesians 2:4

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).

Colossians 1:13

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

I John 3:1a

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

I Peter 1:8-9

Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls.

I John 4:19

We love Him because He first loved us.

Psalm 99:8-9

You answered them, O LORD our God;
You were to them God-Who-Forgives,
Though You took vengeance on their deeds.
Exalt the LORD our God,
And worship at His holy hill;
For the LORD our God is holy.

(You can hear the following hymn here.)

O Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Advent Calendar 3.7

Rachel — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:16:42 +0000

Week Three: Joy: Day Seven

As we leave this week and enter the last and final week of Advent, our feelings of joy at Jesus’ birth turn to worship of Him, the promised one.

Matthew 2:11a

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him.

(You can hear it here.)

Angels From the Realms of Glory

Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing;
Yonder shines the infant light:

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen His natal star.

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

All creation, join in praising
God, the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising
To th’eternal Three in One.

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Advent Calendar 3.6

Rachel — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:01:31 +0000

Week Three: Joy: Day Six

For some reason this sounds like a modern song, but it’s not. It was written in 1890. I especially like the second verse. God did give much to us that day. From the manger to the cross–indeed, what a perfect, holy way.

Jeremiah 23:5

“Behold the days are coming,” says the LORD,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

(You can hear it here.)

The Birthday of a King

In the little village of Bethlehem,
There lay a Child one day;
And the sky was bright with a holy light
O’er the place where Jesus lay.

Alleluia! O how the angels sang.
Alleluia! How it rang!
And the sky was bright with a holy light
’Twas the birthday of a King.

’Twas a humble birthplace, but O how much
God gave to us that day,
From the manger bed what a path has led,
What a perfect, holy way.

Alleluia! O how the angels sang.
Alleluia! How it rang!
And the sky was bright with a holy light
’Twas the birthday of a King.

Advent Calendar 3.5

Rachel — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:39:27 +0000

Week Three: Joy: Day Five

Matthew 2:1b-2

Wise men from the East came…saying, “Where is He who is born king of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

(You can hear it here.)

There’s a Song in the Air

There’s a song in the air! There’s a star in the sky!
There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a baby’s low cry!
And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

There’s a tumult of joy o’er the wonderful birth,
For the virgin’s sweet Boy is the Lord of the earth.
Ay! the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

In the light of that star lie the ages impearled;
And that song from afar has swept over the world.
Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing
In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song
That comes down through the night from the heavenly throng.
Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring,
And we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!

Advent Calendar 3.4

Rachel — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:01:58 +0000

Week Three: Joy: Day Four

Luke 2:13-14a

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest.”

(You can hear it here.)

Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Advent Calendar 3.3

Rachel — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:01:59 +0000

Week Three: Joy: Day Three

This carol, along with “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” reminds me of Dickens-era England for some reason.

Matthew 2:10

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

(You can hear it here.)

Good Christian Men, Rejoice

Good Christian men, rejoice with heart and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say: News! News! Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before Him bow; and He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!

Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss: Joy! Joy! Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened the heavenly door, and man is blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave: Peace! Peace! Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all, to gain His everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!