CAROL OF THE BELLS

When it comes to Christian music, interestingly enough, the tune (melody) is not always originally “Christian.”  Sometimes tunes are borrowed and new words (Christian lyrics) are sung instead of the secular lyrics.  Today’s Christmas Carol – “Carol of the Bells” – is one such song.

“Composed by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych (1877-1921) in 1916. Originally titled Shchedryk, this Ukrainian folk song is about a sparrow and the bountiful year that awaits a family. It was first performed in the Ukraine on the night of January 13, 1916, on the Julian calendar this is considered New Year's Eve. In the United States the song was first performed on October 5, 1921 at Carnegie Hall.[1]”

Originally, the song was sung in April as a welcome to Spring.  Girls would go house to house singing the well-wishing song in exchange for baked goods.  When the world (including the Ukraine) switched to the Julian calendar (the one we use now) this spring song was sung as a New Year’s song.[2]

The words were changed to Christian words – the lyrics we know today. 

"Peter J. Wilhousky (1902-1978) wrote these new lyrics based on the melody of Shchedryk in 1936. He copyrighted it and the song is what we now know as "Carol of the Bells." As the title implies, this hauntingly beautiful song is about the sound of bells come Christmas time."

Lyrics (Excerpt):
Hark how the bells,
sweet silver bells,
all seem to say,
throw cares away

Christmas is here,
bringing good cheer,
to young and old,
meek and the bold, …¹

DEVOTION

Wishing one another a Merry Christmas in such a way as to allow the meaning of Christmas and the love of the season to “ring on” in our minds is a true blessing as we live in a day when it seems evil crowds out peace.  Carol of the Bells is a beautiful way to share Christmas with one another.  The full lyrics conclude with the following lines:

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas,

On on they send,
on without end,
their joyful tone,
to every home.

Ding dong ding dong... dong![3]

The four notes live long in our ears after they have actually stopped striking our eardrums.  

They penetrate to our hearts a sense of joy and hope when the Christian lyrics are hung upon them.  Our hope that Christ’s coming will cheer our hearts with hope in a hauntingly dark world seems to swell within us. 

It is not so much that the song fills us with false hope in Christ, but that the song stirs within us a real hope based on a True Savior who has, as the Angel Host in Luke 2:14 proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”  It should move us as it did the Shepherds that day to proclaim to everyone the great thing God has done for us all!

And that’s Just A Thot for today.  “Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas!”

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[1] From the Internet:  http://musiced.about.com/od/christmasnewyeararticles/qt/carolofthebells.htm, 12/4/15.

[2] From the Internet:  http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-12/ru-ot121304.php, 12/4/15.

[3] From the Internet:  http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/f_mmf_music_library_songbook/carol-of-the-bells-history-and-lyrics.htm, 12/4/15.

HOLINESS, NOT HAPPINESS

Contrary to popular opinion, God's greatest wish is NOT our happiness, it's our HOLINESS.  Jesus didn't die to make us happy, He died to make us holy.  He didn't forgive us so we could be free of guilty feelings, He forgave us so we would be free of the penalty for our sin - eternal separation from our righteous Creator. 

A change in our lifestyle, interests, and pursuits is in order.  Before salvation, we lived for ourselves, we did ungodly things, and we were unholy in our thoughts and our deeds.  We had no hope of being able to do or think rightly, godly, and purely.  But God, in His mercy, sent Jesus to pay our penalty on the Cross of Calvary.  God in His grace, offers this truth to all men, that those who receive salvation through Jesus Christ will learn to deny the ungodliness and worldly lusts and live for the godly, rightous, and pure ways of God.  There really IS a way out of much of the pain of living in this world - and it is by living for Jesus rather than self!

Titus 2:11-14 (KJV) ¹¹  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ¹²  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; ¹³  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; ¹⁴  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

This means that the drug addicted, sex addicted, homosexual, rapist, murdering, abortionist, lying, stealing, bitter, lonely, drunken, judgmental, angry, hopeless, fearful, gluttonous, deviant persons in this world have hopes of being made pure and right with God forever.  The salvation that Jesus brings is a salvation from all these things, not a means of gaining happiness through them, or an excuse to continue. 

But before you try to reform yourself to obtain that salvation, you'd better think again.  It is not in the deed that the sin resides.  It is in the desire!  That means that you'll need to be made into someone you aren't!  And that is exactly what the grace of God is when applied to your life.  God makes you a new creature in Christ Jesus - complete with new desires, abilities, and purpose in life. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Suddenly, happiness is intertwined with holiness.  What will now make you happy is that God has made you holy!  And you will work alongside the Lord to grow in holiness.

Are you saved?  Is living for Jesus an act of gratitude for His grace to you by making you perfectly holy in God's sight (Your position in Christ)?  Are you living a more holy life today than you were yesterday (Your practice in Christ)? 

If not, will you take a moment and repent of your sins, and seek the Lord's grace of forgiveness and ask Him to make you new today?  Give yourself to Him, let Him teach you what is sin, and purify you from it - for the rest of your life.  You will not be disappointed when holiness is your aim.

That is Just A Thought for today.  May the Lord bless you and keep you as you practice these things.

Singing for Jesus

"They shall sing in the ways of the Lord." -

Psa_138:5

Do you remember when you were saved? Do you remember when the burden of your sin was so great upon you that unless the Lord did something quickly, you would collapse under it? Do you remember how wonderful it was when Jesus stepped in, took the burden from you, and lifted you up at the same time saying, "Go, dear one, and sin no more. Live for me, and I will always take the load off of you and carry it for you"? That's when you started singing for and about the Lord.

What song have you now? Have you lost that sense of song in your heart? Put your burden back into the hands of Jesus and sing again! Sing of His mercy, and His marvelous work of forgiveness in your life. Sing of the wonder that your sins could be washed clean - even though you may not have forgotten your sins, nor has the enemy that seeks to remind you of them - you can still sing that your Savior has removed them from you. Sing of the joy He gave to you when you realized that sin and death no more offered fear and certainty of wrath, but life and peace with the Lord! Sing it out loud, and sing it that all may hear the song. Sing it from a full heart, and rejoice ever more - not just in what Christ HAS done, but in what Christ does in His daily loving kindnesses to you.

"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord, Forever, I will sing, I will sing.

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord, Forever, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord!"

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Joy and Sorrow Mingled

Bible Reading: (Deuteronomy 33:29)

Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD,

the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

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No stranger belief can be found than that faith called "Christianity." There is both joy and sorrow intermingled. The joy comes from above and cannot be overcome - squelched, perhaps, but not overcome. There is a peace that passes all understanding. This peace is unheard of in the world save in those who follow Christ. It flows through prayer, communion, and genuine fellowship with the Savior. It is expressed in humble confidence and willing sacrifice in love to others and the Lord. Fear is gone, yet sorrow still may be found - a sorrow over sin.

Sorrow over sin comes in two packages - sorrow over one's own sin, and sorrow over the sins of others. One's own sin becomes evident all too often in life. Yet, we may be happy in spite of it - for Christ is the remedy and the redeemer. Godly sorrow produces repentance and is good. Through repentance and faith in Christ, the joy of Salvation fills us full to overflowing. The sins of others break our hearts - and God's. We hate to see their pain, their suffering at the hands of sin. How different it could be if they would live a life of faith! So much sin destroys families, hardens hearts, and paralyzes people. Yet, we may be happy in spite of it - for Christ is the remedy and the redeemer. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Therefore, we take the remedy and redeemer to them in the form of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That joy, that happiness, and that peace that we have through Jesus Christ overshadows all sorrow, though. We may call out "Abba, Father" with confidence because fear is put away. We may consider ourselves rich because our treasure is in heaven - our home - for all eternity. Our enemies will receive recompense for their deeds because our Father is Just. Chastisement corrects us and is the sign of the Father's love. Can we who are in love with Christ be sorrowful knowing we are forever His? His inheritance is ours. There is none who can take it away, nor destroy our eventual receipt of it. We have a happiness that comes from confidence in the protection of the the Almighty, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit who walks with us along life's path.

No matter your situation, take heart, dear brother. "This is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice in it." (Psalm 118:24)

Bro. Greg