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2020-02-26 to 28 Pictures: Charleston, South Carolina

One of the few upsides of having to cancel our Spring Break trip last March at the onset of the pandemic is that we are "stuck" with a rather large voucher from one of those discount airlines. Last autumn, Tricia and I spent a weekend in Savannah, Georgia and had a...

A John 3:16 Craft for Kids

John 3:16 is one of the most well known and reassuring verses in the Bible. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 (NIV) The following is a little craft I threw...

2020-03-01 Pictures: Lyndsey’s College Signing Day

This afternoon Lyndsey made it official, signing her letter of intent to play college basketball for the Hiram College Terriers starting next year. While she made the decision and committed to Hiram before Christmas, she has been looking forward to this day since her...

2020-02-13 Pictures: Lyndsey’s 18th Birthday

I am little behind on posting photos. These are some of my favorites from a couple of weekends ago when we got a chance to celebrate Lyndsey's 18th birthday. It's hard to believe that my little girl is officially an adult. It was nice to have the family all back...

What is DOCTRINE?

Introduction I love working with kids, and I love teaching them hard concepts in ways they can understand. To that end, for years I have been working on a dictionary of theological terms for kids and teens. In sharing those definitions, there seemed no better place to...

If You Want It Done Right

In all likelihood, you know how the phrase ends: If you want it done right, DO IT YOURSELF! This is a bit of a mantra for me, and frankly, something that I struggle with daily both in leadership and in my Christian walk.  In theory, this is easy to accept. ...

What Does God Hate?

This is the little and humble post that started it all. I happened to be reading through my Bible, and this passage impacted me so much that I posted a little blurb about it on Facebook. That was July 28, 2008, and I've been writing and sharing ever since. (Maybe...

December 22 – Come And Worship (A Christmas Carol Advent)

3 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

Video

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83huFAMOte0&feature=PlayList&p=CFF70EC088CC7224&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=11

History

This song based on the Hymn “Angels from the Realms of Glory” was written by Bebo Norman for his Christmas CD entitled Christmas…From The Realms of Glory. That CD was released in 2007.

Commentary & Analysis

This month, we have looked at Christmas from the standpoint of shepherds, wise men, Mary, and a spectator in Bethlehem, amongst others.  This song tells the story of Christmas from heaven’s perspective.  The first verse speaks to the angels from creation to proclaiming the Messiah’s birth.  The chorus is a call to the only rightful response to the coming Messiah – one of worship.  In the second verse, we see a heavenly view of the shepherds.  Rather than  focusing on the awe and wonder of the shepherds, this verse recounts what the shepherds were privileged to see – the very light of God come in infant form to live with his creation.  The final verse looks forward to Christ’s second coming when his work shall finally be completed and his eternal kingdom established.  This song places Christmas in its rightful position in God’s larger story from Genesis to Revelation.

Questions for further Reflection / Devotion

The following questions are meant for your reflection and or devotion.  Feel free to meditate on them, discuss them with your family or others or post your responses here.  I would love to hear from you.

  1. Christmas as well Christ’s death and resurrection were planned by God before he ever created the world.  If you have children, take some time to place Christmas in the larger story of God and his relationship with his creation this Christmas.
  2. Many people list Jesus as the person they would most like to spend a dinner with.  If you had the opportunity to walk and talk with Jesus, what would you ask him?
  3. This song speaks of watching in both hope and fear.  When you think of Jesus, do you feel both hope and fear?  Do you feel one more than the other?  Should you?
  4. As you celebrate the initial coming of Christ this Christmas, spend some time meditating on his second coming.
  5. What can you do on this Christmas to not just remember Christ and what he has done, but to worship him?

Lyrics

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

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

Shepherds in the fields abiding
Watching o’er your flocks by night.
God with man is now residing
Yonder shines the infant light

Chorus
Come and worship, come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ the newborn King.
(repeat)

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

Chorus
Come and worship, come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ the newborn King.
(repeat)

Return to a Christmas Carol Advent index page.

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