recentchristian

I was always a “closet singer” – what I mean by this is that I’d wait for everyone to leave the house (when I was growing up) before I would put a record on the turntable and sing really loud and dance around.  I didn’t like singing in public at all.  So, sing in church … are you kidding me??  Me?  Sing in public with all these other people standing in the pews???  Really???  Why sing?

Well, that’s another thing that’s changed since becoming a Christian.  On December 22^nd, I was out with a friend, looking at the windows decorated for Christmas and they were streaming some Christmas music so I sang a line (I only knew that line of the lyrics).  Not sure if my friend heard me or not but, it happened.  I’ve also become a person who sings at church, and I actually enjoy it.

This is a two-post day – because most people don’t sing or listen to Christmas carols after Christmas so I felt that I need to get this out there – and quick!  I needed to ensure you would have an opportunity to really hear what the Christmas carols are saying.

This year, Christmas carols have come alive … there is so much meaning in them that I just didn’t get prior to becoming a Christian.  I listen to them now and some of them bring a tear to my eye.  I was missing out on so much.  How could I have known that things would come alive like this?  My prayer is that when you listen (and sing) Christmas carols, they will touch your heart the way they have touched mine and that your heart will be softened to God and his Word.

O Come All Ye Faithful: “come let us adore him” – this “us” includes people here on earth and also those in heaven! “Sing choirs of angels” – yep, we are asking angels to sing with us and (I know this may be a stretch), they are singing with us!  Amazing.  When I read how John Piper explained some of the lyrics to this song (in a lot of detail), I felt like I had new ears to hear Christmas carols with.

The First Noel: “Then let us all with one accord, sing praises to our heavenly Lord, that hath made heaven and earth of nought, And with his blood mankind hath bought.” I had no idea that Christmas carols were full of so much truth that would move me to tears.  Yes, Jesus died for us.

Slow that song down, listen to the lyrics and let them massage your heart as you sing, feel the inner warmth spreading over your body as you understand what the lyrics really mean and you’ll see the difference simply singing to bring glory to God can make.