The Night King Jesus Was Born
This Christmas, I have had the privilege of explaining the birth of King Jesus to my daughters in a way I’ve never been able to before. They are finally old enough to understand that Christmas is the day we choose to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. It has been special for me to say the least.
My favorite part, however, has been teaching them some of my favorite Christmas carols. I still sing to each of my girls before bed, and over the last few weeks we’ve added “Away in the Manger,” “Silent Night,” and “Joy to the World” to our nightly rotation. As an adult, I’ve been singing these songs for nearly three decades; but they have been given new life in my heart as I teach them to my girls for the first time.
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Music has the power to transform us. I mean that. My life would not be what it is today without the power of music. It teaches us, it molds us, and it allows us to feel emotions that often get buried away in the busyness of life. (That’s why it’s so important to be choosy when it comes to the music we listen to… but that’s a blog post for another day!)
For my girls, learning these Christmas carols has taught them some amazing truths. Having known the songs as long as I have, it’s easy to sing them and not pay attention to the lyrics. But as I taught my girls the words for the first time, I was reminded of how powerful the lyrics truly are.
“Joy to the world; the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King!”
Think about those lyrics for a moment. The night Jesus was born, the earth received a new King – one who would reign forever.
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.” – Luke 2:9-14 (NLT)
This Christmas, I have made it my goal to not let traditions get in the way of truly reflecting on what actually happened the night our King Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born.
As I go through the motions of attending church, singing Christmas carols, and reading the nativity story, I pray that it will impact my heart as if I’m hearing it all for the first time.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! May you find His joy and peace this holiday season.
*Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.