Joy to the world! the Savior reignsLet men their songs employWhile fields and floodsRocks, hills and plainsRepeat the sounding joy When Jesus was entering Jerusalem a few days before he was crucified, many of his followers paid tribute to him. They had seen him perform miracle after miracle and believed he was about to take on his role as some sort of king. They shouted, “Blessed is the king who c...

God rest ye merry gentlemenLet nothing you dismayRemember Christ our SaviorWas born on Christmas Day “God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day…” At first glance, those words might feel trite or dismissive, especially if you’re going through a difficult time.You could hear it like, “Just rest and don’t worry because Jesus was born on ...

Come and behold himBorn the king of angels If you had to make a list of the most famous performers over the past 50 years, who would be on it? Who is it that, in their prime, would pack arenas full of people screaming at the very sight of them? Hanging on their every word… or watching every move they made. Who’s on that list? Or let’s narrow it down to even one. Who is ONE person over the last 50 ...

No crowds were waitingNo royal celebrationJust a humble fatherAnd a blessed young motherAnd the sound of hope and peace from the cries of a homeless king. The Savior of the world was born, but no crowd was there to celebrate the occasion. There was no royal proclamation of the birth of this King. This was not the customary plan for the arrival of a new monarch. This King was born to a young couple...

Mild He lays His glory byBorn that man no more may dieBorn to raise the sons of EarthBorn to give them second birth Born that man no more may die. That’s a pretty big promise, isn’t it?A few months ago, my dad passed away somewhat unexpectedly. So this Christmas season feels a little like a ball of tangled-up and often-conflicting emotions. I love the joy of the season, but it’s quickly followed b...

They looked up and saw a starShining in the East beyond them farAnd to the earth it gave great lightAnd so it continued both day and night In general, most of us would agree that we feel like we can see things better during the day.But, there’s a reason we always look at Christmas lights at night. You can definitely go during the day, but it’s a little anticlimactic, because the lights shine so mu...

Away in a mangerNo crib for a bed In the song “Away in a Manger,” that word “manger” gets glossed over. A lot. We see pictures of nativity scenes of the baby Jesus, perfectly swaddled, of course, in this finely crafted wooden container—like a miniature crib—which, by the way, happens to fit his little body perfectly.But in reality, the manger wasn’t made of wood at all. It was more than likely har...

Whispers of a coming kingNo ear had heard, no eye had seenThrough years and years of silent nightsThe stars broke forth in brilliant light For centuries, God promised the people of Israel he would use them in a mighty way. They would have a land of their own. They would be a nation of influence. They would be a blessing to the entire world. And, maybe most importantly, they would produce a king… a...

Silent night, holy night!Shepherds quake at the sight.Glories stream from heaven afarHeavenly hosts sing Alleluia,Christ the Saviour is born!Christ the Saviour is born Have you ever experienced something that took your breath away? Maybe you’ve seen the Grand Canyon or a beautiful sunrise over a vast ocean. Maybe you’ve witnessed the birth of a baby or the loss of a loved one. You’ll never forget ...

Long lay the world in sin and error piningTill he appear’d and the soul felt its worth. Once, when I was younger, I got lost and separated from my mom at a store. I don’t remember exactly what distracted me, but I stopped to see something and when I looked back, my mom was gone. I don’t remember how it happened, but I remember feeling so afraid.Oh, no! I had become one of those lost kids I’d alway...