“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things…” (Psalm 98:1)
You may have noticed, that as soon as the Halloween candy and pumpkins disappeared from our stores this year, advertisements and displays were dramatically changed overnight to accents of Christmas, almost everywhere! Oh, and so did the music many of us are exposed to, so much so that by November 15th, I needed to make a shift. While I couldn’t do much about the ads, displays or music being played at Freddie’s and on the radio, I could do something about the sensory overload of songs that heavily paid homage to Santa, Rudolph and Frosty. Not that I don’t enjoy those fun songs, but when I approach Christmas at this time of year, I’m looking for more. Thankfully, the CD music highlighting the coming of Christ made its way into the confines of both my car and study, and I was reminded of the song in my heart. And in spite of recent restrictions to limit our corporate worship and personal singing, these welcomed anthems provided me with ample and welcomed opportunity to join in and sing.
If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, this should be a familiar message, as the Scriptures are full of reminders to draw closer to God and remember His message, with singing helping us to do just that. Maybe some of these verses sound familiar:
Psalm 96:1
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Psalm 98:1
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
Psalm 108:1
My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Psalm 149:1
Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
Ephesians 5:19
…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord…
Colossians 3:16
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
James 5:13
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.
Yes, there are many more examples. But even with all this prompting, it still might be tempting not to sing at all in these early December days. After all, we’ve all got Covid fatigue. There’s all the “extra stuff” we need to accomplish in the next few weeks. We’re disappointed we can’t share with friends and family in events and activities like we used to do. Or we’ve got a ton of other worrisome concerns affecting us and those we care about. But any and all of that may signal added reason to think about singing. So, may I kindly invite all of us to carve out a few minutes to think about the message of Advent and Christmas, and sing about it, even if we can’t carry a tune in a bucket?
Sing a verse of “Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel” (LBW 34), and in addition to remembering that Emmanuel means “God with us,” personalize it: “God is with me! And He sent His Son Jesus into this world to be my Savior and Lord!”
Pick one of your favorite Christmas carols or hymns that you know from memory, and imagine your kids or grandkids singing that song in the front of church at the last Christmas program you can remember attending with them. Then say a quick prayer giving thanks for the gift of the Christ child, because He came for all those kids too.
Listen to one of those majestic choral pieces with full instrumentation, enjoy turning up the volume and wonder out loud, “I wonder if this is just a taste of what those shepherds heard and felt from the angels on the hills outside Bethlehem?”
Play one of your favorite Christmas CD’s while you’re baking, putting up the tree and/or preparing your Christmas cards. Enjoy the melodies, sing along where you can and find joy in a task that might otherwise be burdensome and provide a reason to complain.
Feel free to sing those carols with gusto in the car, especially when you’re by yourself. If you feel like your driving is getting distracted as you try to remember words, feel free to just hum along. I guarantee it will still put you in a better mood.
I think we all get the idea. Beginning with yours truly, let’s simply take a little time in the next few weeks to locate and focus on the song in our hearts. It’s there for a reason, and it’s there to be used. By the way, if I happen to spot you singing a solo in your car, I’ll just smile and wave my affirmation of approval. A blessed Advent and Christmas!
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 take us to heaven to live with Thee there.
(Away in a Manger, LSB 365)
Pastor Dale Koehneke – December 6, 2020