December 7

Do they understand what they hear?

I was in a big box store earlier today with my kids having a bite to eat in the food court when I noticed something strangely out of place but very appropriate. Christmas carols were playing quietly in the background, not of the Santa Claus or 'All I want for Christmas' variety, but real carols.  Hark the Herald Angels Sing, The First Noel, Joy to the World, it was lovely.  And for a moment I just listened to these familiar carols playing in an unfamiliar environment...He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove, the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love and wonders, wonders of his love...Hark the Herald angels sing, glory to the new born king, peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled...O come let us adore him Christ the Lord...the last carol played and I watched people pay for their goods, pack their bags with Christmas ornaments, wrapping paper and obvious gifts, along with the day to day necessities.  The irony was arresting.  O come let us adore him...Christ the Lord...and I wondered--do they understand what they are hearing?  Do they get the profound depths of the meaning behind the beloved melodies they're humming along to?  I thought of the shepherds that night, 2000 years ago:

Luke 2: 8-15  "That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

The carols of the season are so special, the musical varieties are refreshing but the message declares (like the angels) the great beloved event of the incarnation. Yet I, and most of us hear these carols and cherish the melody and the sentiments that go along with them above the message...not unlike the folks at the store today.  But I think these carols were meant to draw us back to Christ, to marvel at the wonders of his love and worship him as the angels did and to leave us as the shepherds in Luke 2:20 "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praise God for all they had heard and seen..."  Perhaps this advent when the carols come on the radio, let the melody give you the emotion to match the power of the message leaving you to glorify and praise God for what you know and have seen!