Itâs such a privilege to praise God through song. And one of the things I love best about Christmas services is being able to belt out some great carols. While Iâm happy to sing (or, more usually, play) a whole range of songs, if Iâm honest I do have a few favourites. Those carols that I long to sing and sing again at this time of year. And it seems Iâm not alone.
Here are some of our blog teamâs favourite Christmas songs:
Alison: âO come, O come, Emmanuelâ - It gives the Old Testament background to the coming of Christ and shows Godâs faithfulness to His promises â and the tune is great too!... continue reading
Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.... continue reading
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Weeks late, I finally got around to watching the latest Bond blockbuster Skyfall. An interesting experience, because I was only able to book to see it with subtitles in English. Having watched loads of foreign-language films with English subtitles, I thought it would be no problem.
How wrong could I be? It absolutely ruined it!
Seeing the words flash up, slightly before they were spoken made it look like they were just actors reading lines - not like Bond, Q, M and Moneypenny at all - just actors in a play. The subtle timing of jokes was spoiled. The scenes where there was supposed to be smouldering romance were emptied of passion as it became obvious that they were just pretending. The delicate illusion of the theatre had been torn away by the simple addition of some words along the bottom.... continue reading
Stuff happens. Jobs are lost. Relationships are broken. Ends donât meet. Illnesses take unexpected downturns. We make mistakes. The pressures of Christmas crash in. Life feels unpredictable. And most of us, to a greater or lesser extent, respond by worrying.
Some days the nagging insecurities about the future play irritatingly in the backs of our minds. At other times weâre overwhelmed by a torrent of panic that leaves us utterly inert. We want to know itâs all going to work out ok in the future. And we feel we canât relax until thereâs some tangible evidence it really is going to be fine.
But when we turn to the Scriptures weâre confronted with the inescapable fact that the Bible says, âdonât worryâ:... continue reading
Maybe it's a personality thing, but I never thought that following the herd was a good thing.
Safe, perhaps. If you didn't want to be embarrassed by standing out from the crowd perhaps.
So seeing this advertising line encouraging me to "be smart" by "following the herd" on the back of a van got me thinking about the whole cultural tension we feel between fitting in and being individuals. Our culture seems to encourage individuality. We are constantly being told to "be ourselves" and to "think different".... continue reading
âWe wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new yearâ
Speaking to a couple of friends over the last few days I breathed a sigh of relief when I realised that the number of carol services I am involved in can be counted on one hand; some of my friends need an abacus and some serious energy. Musicians: you are about to face the busiest time of the year â letâs not pray for merriment, but contentment and happiness as we serve our Saviour.
âBorn to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birthâ
When you sit down for Christmas dinner, utterly exhausted from carols and endless practices, will you resent the past weeks of energy sapping service or recall with joy that the gospel has been proclaimed? The gospel will be heralded in song and through the preaching of the Word to so many who for most of the year want nothing to do with the Christ of Christmas who offers a âsecond birthâ #joy.... continue reading
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering Godâs grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4 v 7-11
We should serve others "administering God's grace in its various forms". "Various" here literally means "many-coloured". God's people are like a tapestry woven together with many threads of different colours. You are who you are, and have the abilities you do, for a reason â to be a colourful thread in the tapestry, not for self-display but to "serve others", to bring God praise.
