Christmas Singing!

 

Don't you wish we sang Christmas Carols all year! For only one month we tune in to these lovely and inspiring carols about our Savior. It's much too short a time for me!

There are many Christmas Carols that I'm not familiar with. Let's think about those carols today!

Emily Elliott, niece of Charlotte Elliott, writer of "Just As I Am" worked with children and wanted to use the Christmas season to teach them about the entire life and mission of the Savior. She wrote: "Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne." The third verse, which I especially like, describes the life as an itinerate preacher. You may be familiar with the last line:

"The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest In the shade of the forest tree;

But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God, In the deserts of Galilee,

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus There is room in my heart for thee."

"From Heaven Above to Earth I Come" was written by Martin Luther, who wrote the majestic and mighty hymn "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." Luther wrote this Christmas hymn for his son and called it a "Christmas Child's Song Concerning the Child Jesus." Each year during the Christmas Eve festivities at Luther's home it was sung. This is the first verse:

"From Heav'n above to earth I come, to bear good news to every home;

Glad tidings of great joy I bring, Where of I now will say and sing."

"We Sing, Emmanuel, Thy Praise" was written by Paul Gerhardt, who was a prolific hymnist, who might be called the "Charles Wesley of Germany." During his time of tutoring children in Berlin, he began writing hymns. This is the 4th verse:

"But I, Thy servant, Lord, today Confess My love and freely say,

I love Thee truly, but I would That I might love Thee as I should. 

Hallelujah!"

Cecil F. Alexander wrote "Once in Royal David's City" inspired by the Apostle's' Creed which begins: "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord." From the words "Maker of heaven and earth," the creative teacher wrote the famous song "All Things Bright and Beautiful." The fourth verse says:

"And our eyes at last shall see Him, Through His own redeeming love,

For that Child so dear and gentle Is our Lord in Heaven above,

And He leads His children on To the place where He is gone."

St. Augustine, one of the greatest heroes in the history of Christian theology, was converted under the preaching of Ambrose of Milan. Ambrose wrote the hymn, "Come, Thou Redeemer of the Earth." Ambrose was a great preacher and a defender of true doctrine. These are the words of the third verse:

"The virgin womb that burden gained With virgin honor all unstained;

The banners there of virtue glow; God in His temple dwells below."

Josiah G. Holland wrote this song that may be familiar to you, "There's a Song in the Air." Holland published the first major biography of Abraham Lincoln after his assassination and presented Lincoln as a "true-hearted Christian." This song became popular after Karl P. Harrington put the words to music after the death of Holland. These are the first and last verses:

"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!

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,

As we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!

As you sing the well-known Christmas songs, you may enjoy discovering a few other Christmas songs that aren't as well-known. Two websites to review are: www.classicfm.com and www.today.com. Or pick up a hymnal and see how many carols you've not heard before. 

Christmas is a time to sing! There is much to celebrate during this wonderful season! What do you think? Should we sing Christmas Carols all year?

By His Grace . . .