Friday, December 11, 2009
I've been listening to Christmas music while driving in my car. KBAY plays Christmas songs 24/7. It seems like they play they same songs over and over. Are there only 40 or so Christmas songs? Perhaps there is only 40 good ones. I have the Jethro Tull Christmas album. You know, of Aqua Lung fame? It's quite different. KBAY does not play any Jehtro Tull Christmas songs. I've been told that writing new Christmas songs and having them become hits, is an almost impossible task. Why? Because people like the traditional carols at Christmas. Songs like: Silent Night, Joy to the World, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, Oh Holy Night etc...
There is an old, old, carol that you might not have heard of called, "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" (KBAY doesn't play this one either). This sacred song dates back to the 14th Century, so it's very old. It's not one of the great theological carols but it has a great message. Here are the words:
There is an old, old, carol that you might not have heard of called, "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" (KBAY doesn't play this one either). This sacred song dates back to the 14th Century, so it's very old. It's not one of the great theological carols but it has a great message. Here are the words:
Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella Bring a torch, come swiftly and run. Christ is born, tell the folk of the village, Jesus is sleeping in His cradle, Ah, ah, beautiful is the Mother, Ah, ah, beautiful is her Son.
Hasten now, good folk of the village, Hasten now, the Christ Child to see. You will find Him asleep in a manger, Quietly come and whisper softly, Hush, hush, peacefully now He slumbers, Hush, hush, peacefully now He sleeps.
Hasten now, good folk of the village, Hasten now, the Christ Child to see. You will find Him asleep in a manger, Quietly come and whisper softly, Hush, hush, peacefully now He slumbers, Hush, hush, peacefully now He sleeps.
The legend is that Jeanette and Isabella were two milkmaids who came upon the manger scene that first Christmas morning. They were so filled with excitement that they took their torches and ran to the village to spread the news that the newborn Christ was sleeping softly in the hay. The whole village, bearing torches, came to see the Christ-child. As I said, this isn’t one of our great theological Christmas carols, but it emphasizes two things—first that the great secret of that first Christmas wasn’t revealed to the theologians and clergymen and rabbis of the day, but to simple farming people—shepherds and milkmaids. And second, it speaks of the excitement we should feel as we come and see the newborn King and as we run to share the news with others.
The Bible says that after the shepherds saw baby Jesus they, "spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child" (Luke 2:17).
We, too, can be a witness of all the wonders that Christ brings into our lives. So, bring a torch and spread the news. "Today in the city of David a Savior has been born; He is Christ the Lord".
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Tim
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