What is your favourite Christmas Carol?
Are you sick of Maria Carey on repeat in the shops by the time Christmas comes around? Or do you wish you could sing carols right into January and beyond?
I love the carols rejoicing at our Saviours birth and marvelling at God’s love and the joy of Christmas. But I particularly love the Carols that acknowledge the difficulties of Christmas too… Lines like, ‘a weary world rejoices’ resonate with me as Christmas approaches – and ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ calling for rescue for God’s captive people, Israel.
Christmas is a time for joy – not the shallow joy of presents, or of Christmas lunch, that leaves us feeling bloated afterwards; but the lasting joy of knowing that our God is not far off and ignorant of our troubles, but has come near to dwell among us. A joy that fills us with comfort and hope on the good days and the bad, all year long.
I’m praying that this Christmas – with intermingled good and hard moments, you will be filled with the joy and comfort of knowing that God has come near. In love, he has sent his only Son, Jesus Christ into the world to redeem and rescue you.
Blessings,
Ben
