Brian Olson Christmas, Devotional, Hymns, Worship

How Great, Our Joy

While by the sheep we watched at night,
Glad tidings brought an angel bright.
How great our joy! Great our joy!
Joy, joy, joy! Joy, joy, joy!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!

There shall be born, so He did say,
In Bethlehem a Child today.
How great our joy! Great our joy!
Joy, joy, joy! Joy, joy, joy!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!

There shall the Child lie in a stall,
This Child who shall redeem us all.
How great our joy! Great our joy!
Joy, joy, joy! Joy, joy, joy!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!

This gift of God we’ll cherish well,
That ever joy our hearts shall fill.
How great our joy! Great our joy!
Joy, joy, joy! Joy, joy, joy!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!

Words & Music are a traditional German carol

 

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
Psalm 47:1

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:8 – 20

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

 

Have you ever stopped to consider what was the happiest moment in your life. What one event has given you the greatest joy. I know that for me, I am hard pressed to narrow it down to one event. It could be the day I was married, the birth of my children, or many other events.

But as great as these events are, I think I am missing something. Having been raised in a Christian family and coming to faith at a very early age I have a tendancy to overlook one important event. Now don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change this for anything. But I can’t help but think I missed the joy of Jesus being revealed to me for the first time.

When I hear the words of the old Christmas Carol, “How Great, Our Joy” I begin to get a glimpse that joy. Imagine what it wound have been like to be there when that news was declared for the first time.

The writer begins to recount the events of Luke 2:8 – 20 with the words, “While by the sheep, we watched at night. Glad tidings brought, an angel bright.”

Imagine you are sitting there on an ordinary night when all of the sudden an angel appears out of no where, and not simply an angel but he is surrounded by the very glory of God. From this startling sight came the news that had been so long waited for, the promised Messiah had been born. The joy must have been unmatched. To know that the long wait was finally over, the Savior had come.

Now as great as this joy is, it does not stop there. This same joy goes out to the whole world. This is why the angel declared, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” So the carol continues with these words, “There shall the Child lie in a stall, This Child who shall redeem us all.” It is a joy for all people, calling us to the words of Psalm 47:1 “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.”

Wht is the greatest joy? In this Christmas season take time to remember the magnificent truth. That we have been given the good news. The news that we have not been forgotten. The news that God came to earth. The news that Jesus was born to save the world.

When we truly understand this, we shall find the greatest joy of all. Then we can join our voices with all who know this joy declaring, “Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!”

 

 

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Brian Olson Christmas, Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Away In A Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.

Words for verses 1 & 2 were written anonymously, Verse 3 by John T. McFarland (19th Century)
Music: Two common tunes, 1st by James R. Murray, 1887; 2nd by William J. Kirkpatrick, 1895

 

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke 2:7

When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Luke 24:50 – 53

The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:5 – 8

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5

in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith
Galatians 3:26

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18

 

Sometimes the simplest things are really the best. You know, when you strip aware all the glitz and glamor, when all the unnecessary extras are removed, you are left with what really matters.

Hymns are no exception. Some hymns are powerful with grand scores that draw you in. Some have profound teachings in their deep theological truths. But sometimes, the simpler the music and message, the more moving and profound the song. This is the case with the dearly loved hymn, “Away In A Manger.”

“Away in A Manger” is often thought of as a children’s hymn, taught to them from a young age. But this hymn with it gentle lullaby tune (no matter which of the two tunes you prefer) leads us to sit calmly and listen to the words, no matter our age.

In the first verse we sing, “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.” It is a poetic restating of Luke 2:7 where we read, “. . . She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”

In the second verse, the poetic picture continues to be draw of the infant Jesus. As a result, we have a picture drawn within our minds that we can not help but be moved by. But to often we think of Jesus at Christmas and picture only the infant child. We need to remember that this child born that first Christmas is the same Jesus who “. . . was taken up into heaven,” (Luke 24:51)

So the hymn continues, “I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.” The request is that the Jesus who ascended into Heaven, watch over and protect. We are drawn to the words of Psalm 121:7 where we read “The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life.”

Finally, in the third verse, introduced by John McFarland, we read, “Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.” It is a simple prayer of commitment, reflecting the prayer of a new believer, expressed in the simple words of a young child. It is committing ones life to Christ and trusting that he will never leave. (Hebrews 13:5)

McFarland then writes, “Bless all the dear children, in Thy tender care.” All the dear children? Our first thought is that this is a children’s hymn, so he is speaking to the children. But when we stop to look more closely we are reminded in Galatians 3:26 that “in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” In this light we are reminded that it is those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, who are the dear children in His care.

McFarland concludes with the words, “And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.” It is this same Jesus who guides and directs us. It is through him that we “. . . are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. ” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

This may be a “children’s hymn”, but we are the children for whom the hymn is written. It is a simple message, set to a simple tune, but in it we find profound truths and comfort. The truth that a child born into this world through humble circumstance, is the Savior of mankind who ascended back into heaven. The truth that He will watch over those who trust in him, and that he will never leave. The truth that we are children of God, and that He transforms us into His likeness.

So we join in the prayer, “Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, and love me, I pray; Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there”

 

James R. Murray Melody

 

William J. Kirkpatrick Melody (Cradle Song)

 

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Brian Olson Christmas, Devotional, Hymns, Worship

I Wonder As I Wander

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on’ry people like you and like I…
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus ’twas in a cow’s stall,
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.
But high from God’s heaven a star’s light did fall,
And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God’s angels in heav’n for to sing,
He surely could have it, ’cause he was the King.

Words and Music are a Traditional Appalachian Hymn, compiled in 1933 by John Jacob Niles

 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5 – 8

 

 

I love to get away from the busyness and noise of daily life. I have been this way my whole life. I grew up on a farm and spent many hours just wandering in the grove that was on the property. Things haven’t really changed that much. I still like to get away into nature. This is why I so enjoy camping and hiking. The opportunity to get away from everything and find a peaceful time of reflection.

It’s something we all need, to take the time away to reflect, so at Christmastime it seems fitting to take the time of reflection to consider the events of Christmas and their full meaning. This is the theme found in the old Appalachian hymn, “I Wonder as I Wander.” No author nor composer is known for this hymn but its haunting melody draws us into the words inviting us to reflect on them.

So we consider “How Jesus the Savior did come for to die. For poor on’ry people like you and like I.” That was it, His reason for coming.  Mark 10:45 tells us, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Yes, this is the reason He came, and not just to save the righteous, He came to save “poor on’ry people like you and like I.” This is why: Paul tells us in Romans 5:8 that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He came to die on behalf of us, who seem nothing but trouble to Him.

The hymn goes on to discuss with us that, Jesus was born “in a cow’s stall.” It reminds us that He was surrounded by farmers and shepherds.  Yet, despite this lowly setting, he was a King.  As a King, everything was within His realm. Imagine a King, someone with the right to whatever He chooses, but who enters the world through such a humble setting.  He is a King who has willingly put himself within our reach. (Philippians 2:5 – 8)

So as we find ourselves in this Christmas season, we reflect on the full meaning of God’s gift to is.  We take time to step away from our hectic lives.  So we sing the words with a new meaning, “I wonder as I wander out under the sky.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Christmas, Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah ’twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright, she bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

The shepherds heard the story proclaimed by angels bright,
How Christ, the Lord of glory was born on earth this night.
To Bethlehem they sped and in the manger found Him,
As angel heralds said.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True Man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.

O Savior, Child of Mary, who felt our human woe,
O Savior, King of glory, who dost our weakness know;
Bring us at length we pray, to the bright courts of Heaven,
And to the endless day!

Words by Vs 1 & 2 a 15th Century Carol, Vs 3 & 4 Friedrich Layritz, 1875, v 5 John C. Mattes, 1914
Music by Unknown, 1599

 

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
Song of Solomon 2:1

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
2 Corinthians 2:14 – 17

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it . . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1, 4 – 5, 14

“I and the Father are one.”
The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.
Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?”
The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”
John 10:30 – 33

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

 

Have you ever noticed how an aroma can fill a room. It makes me think of those Sunday’s my mother made a roast when I was growing up. Before we would leave for church she would put it in the oven with its seasonings and potatoes and carrots. When we left there was nothing that would stand out. But when we returned we would step into a house that was permeated with the most wonderful aroma. It was amazing to see how this simple smell had reach every part of the house.

In the same way that this aroma filled our house while growing up, so Christ presence in our lives permeates every aspect. This theme can be found in the Christmas hymn, “Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming.”

In this hymn we are presented with the image of Christ as a blooming flower. Now, in today’s age, this may seem an odd image, but it harkens back to an interpretation of Song of Solomon 2:1 where we read, “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” Now whether this passage is really speaking of Christ in colorful language or not can be debated, but the image is sound. The writer tells us that the birth of Christ is like “a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter.”

And so a vivid word picture is drawn for us. As the bright flower stand out amid the dark and grey, so Christ stands out in a lost world. As the flowers “fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air” (2 Corinthians 2:14 – 17), so Christ permeates every aspect of our lives. As the light “dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere”(John 1:4 – 5), so Christ drives the darkness of sin and death from our lives.

It is Christ alone who can permeate every aspect of our lives and give us the hope of new life in a lost world for “from sin and death He saves us.” (Romans 5:8) The reason Jesus is able to do this is that He is “True Man, yet very God.”

Fully Man and fully God. An image that is portrayed in scripture. He was a man of flesh (John 1:1, 14), and by His own testimony, one with the Father. (John 10:30) It is this that uniquely makes Him able to give us hope of a new life, that make Him able to save us from sin and death. He is the “Child of Mary, who felt our human woe.” He knows the trials and tribulations that fill out lives in this fallen world. At the same time He is the “King of glory, who dost our weakness know.” Not only does He knows the trials we face, but he knows our weaknesses and is able to give us strength to face them.

Christ knows and understands what we face and is there to lead us along the way. When we understand this and accept His gift, He will permeate our lives and drive away the darkness of the world. So we join in the final prayer of this hymn, “Bring us at length we pray, to the bright courts of Heaven, And to the endless day.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Advent, Christmas, Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Love Came Down At Christmas

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.

Words by Christina Rossetti, 1885
Music by Traditional Irish Melody

 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:16 – 18

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:7 – 12

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45

 

If I were to ask you, “What do you love?” how would you answer the question. One person might say, “I love reading.” One person might say, “I love pizza.” Another might say, “I love the mountains.” And another might say, “I love my spouse.” It’s interesting how we bandy this four letter word around and it seems to have a slightly different meaning in each context. I mean, a person’s feeling about reading, pizza, the mountains and their spouse certainly aren’t the same, yet we use the same word.

So what does love mean? Contrary to what we often think of, love is not simply an emotion. Rather, I have heard it said, that love is a commitment. It goes beyond emotion. Emotions come and go, but love does not end. It is this true meaning of love that we find portrayed in the Christmas hymn, “Love Came Down at Christmas” by Christina Rossetti.

Rossetti writes, “Love was born at Christmas.” The birth of Jesus is Love, as we find in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” God had no obligation to send his son. He did it, because he was committed to His purpose, to save mankind. Despite our constant turning our backs on Him and choosing to follow our own direction, God still remains faithful to His commitment.

Yes Jesus is “Love incarnate, love divine.” Jesus is the commitment of God made flesh. A commitment to reach a world in need. So, “worship we our Jesus” for this truth, that He “ laid down his life for us.” (1 John 3:16)

This Love that has been given to us, now we spread to others. Rossetti writes, “Love shall be yours and love be mine, Love to God and to all men.” This reflects 1 John 4:7 which reads, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.”

So, what is love? “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:10) Yes, “Love came down at Christmas”, when Christ was born. When He came into this world “to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) God is faithful, so we, in response share His love with a world in need.

 

 

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Brian Olson Christmas, Devotional, Hymns, Worship

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

In Bethlehem, in Israel, this blessèd Babe was born,
And laid within a manger upon this blessèd morn;
The which His mother Mary did nothing take in scorn.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

From God our heavenly Father a blessèd angel came;
And unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

“Fear not, then,” said the angel, “Let nothing you afright
This day is born a Savior of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him from Satan’s power and might.”
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

The shepherds at those tidings rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding in tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethl’em straightaway this blessèd Babe to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

But when to Bethlehem they came where our dear Savior lay,
They found Him in a manger where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary kneeling unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas all others doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

God bless the ruler of this house, and send him long to reign,
And many a merry Christmas may live to see again;
Among your friends and kindred that live both far and near—
That God send you a happy new year, happy new year,
And God send you a happy new year.

Words and Music by Unknown, ca 15th Century

 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28 – 30

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

 

The Christmas season is full of joy and excitement. A time that many people look forward to every year. There are parties, gifts, shopping and travel. Unfortunately, it can also be a time of selfish desire when greed seems to dominate our thinking. And for some, it can be a dark, difficult time remembering those we have lost, or how little we may have. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” reminds us that it should be a time to find rest in God’s loving arms.

The author writes, “God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay.” He sees people in the world who face the difficulties of life. People who selfishly look out for themselves. People who feel alone. He sees a people who are in desperate need of rest that can be found in God alone.

But how do we find this rest? The hymn continues, “Remember Christ our Savior, was born on Christmas day.” The reality is that Christ is the only means to find this rest. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

This is the very reason that Christ came to earth, the very reason he “was born on Christmas Day . . . To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.” Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This is the “Satan’s power” the author wrote about.

The difficulties we face can come from outside forces or they can come from the sinful choices we make or from both. But there is hope, for “thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57) Christ is the only way we can know that hope. He is the only source of the rest we so desperately need.

So as we remember the amazing gift that He has given us, we can find hope to rest in. So we sing with so many others, “O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy; O tidings of comfort and joy.”

 

 

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Brian Olson Advent, Devotional, Hymns, Worship

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy strife and quarrel cease,
Fill all the world with Heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Words by Unknown Monks, 12th Century, (translated in 1851 by John M. Neale)
Music by Franciscan Nun, 15th Century

 

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”
Matthew 1:22 – 23

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
1 Peter 3:18

the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
Matthew 4:16

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4 – 5

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:10 – 12

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:18 – 19

 

It was a time of darkness. Their land had been conquered. Their people oppressed under the rule of their conquerors. Some of their very own had aligned with their conquerors and ruled over them. The people were crying out for a Savior. They sought for God to come to their aid and be with them.

Their cry echoes down through the ages. When we look around us, do we seem better off? Around the world oppression continues. In our own homes we too often see envy, strife and quarreling that divides us from one another. We still seek God to be with us. The world continues to cry out for a Savior, for a God who cares.

It is this same desire that is shared by the original writers of the hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” almost 800 years ago. The five words that begin this hymn, and by which we know its name, lay out the deepest desire of all the world. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Emmanuel is a descriptive title meaning “God With Us.” Therefore the real cry of their hearts is, “God, come to be with us.”

Our cry, as those who came before, did not go unheard. God came to us, in the form of a baby. An infant child who could find no place to lay his head, so his mother laid him in a manger. This was the fulfillment of the prophecy given by Isaiah. (Matthew 1:23)

And so He came to save a people in oppression. But not the oppression that comes from the forces of this world. He came to save us from the oppression of sin and death which rule our lives. So the hymn continues, “And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.”

God heard the cry of Israel and sent His Son, Jesus to be the ransom for Israel. And by God’s great grace, he is not just the ransom for Israel, be the ransom for all mankind from the sin that separates us from God. (1 Peter 3:18)

Yes the darkness surrounds us, so the hymn declares, “O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight.” (Matthew 4:16) The darkness of the night and the shadows of death can not stand before the light of Christ. (John 1:4 – 5)

This light shines through the ages, for the good news is to all mankind. (Luke 2:10 ) So the hymn ends with these words, “O come, Desire of nations, bind All peoples in one heart and mind Bid envy strife and quarrel cease Fill all the world with Heaven’s peace.” Christ came to reconcile all people with God. (2 Corinthians 5:18 – 19) A reconciliation that is available only though His son, Jesus Christ. “

So for those who have believed in Him, it is a declaration of praise. And for those who do not know Him, may it be a prayer of hope. As we join together and declare, “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”

 

 

Read more about “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

In The Cleft of the Rock

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life with the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life with the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
And filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God
For such a Redeemer as mine!
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life with the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love
I’ll shout with the millions on high.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life with the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

Words by Fanny Crosby, 1890
Music by William Kirkpatrick

 

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
Exodus 33:19 – 23

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6 – 7

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire,will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.
Malachi 3: 1 – 2

This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him
Matthew 3:3

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2

according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Ephesians 3:11 – 12

 

We have all heard the story of the three little pigs. In the story each of the pigs knew that they need some sort of shelter for protection, but only the third little pig really understood the real importance of the shelter. As a result, when the big bad wolf came along, the first two houses of straw and sticks could not stand, but the third house made from brick withstood all that came its way.

In our lives we need shelter to protect us, not just from the physical assaults that may come our way, but also the spiritual assaults. In her hymn, “He Hideth My Soul” Fanny Crosby relates the depth and blessings of this fact.

She writes, “A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, A wonderful Savior to me.” Now why is he a wonderful savior? There are so many things that can be said to answer this question, but the one she focuses on is “He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock.”

God is our protection from the assaults of life. But what is truly fascinating is that this protection is not simply from the dangers and evils from outside. The passage that she takes this from is found in Exodus 33 where Moses is speaking with God. In this discussion, Moses ask God to show him His glory.

God’s response is recorded in Exodus 33:19 – 23 where we read, “And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.

Think about it. We always consider the need to be protected from the dangers in the world, but God says, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” God’s glory is so intense, that we can not even look upon his face. The power of His glory, that emanates from His face is so great that He must protect us from it, or we would die.

Yes, we could not stand alone before God. Malachi 3:2 repeats this when it says, “But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.” Yes before God all will fall for all have sinned and have not come close to His glory. (Romans 8:23)

But look back one verse to Malachi 3:1. Here God gives a glimpse that there is a hope. We read, “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire,will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.” This may seem very familiar to you. It reflects, Matthew 3:3 concerning John the Baptist which reads, “This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. ”

The messenger, John the Baptist, declared the coming of Jesus Christ, the Savior. It is He who would open the doors. It is Him that made it so we can stand before God without fear. Ephesians 3:11 – 12 tells us, “according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

As Fanny Crosby has declared, “A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord . . . He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock . . . And covers me there with His hand.” In this case, Jesus Himself is the rock in which we take shelter. Psalm 18:2 says, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

When we have claimed that shelter that comes from knowing Christ, we need not fear to stand in God’s presence. For when God looks upon us, he does not see our sin, but the righteousness of Christ. (Philippians 3:9) When we grasp this, that we may stand before God in Christ our rock, then we can sing with true conviction the words of the final stanza, “When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise To meet Him in clouds of the sky, His perfect salvation, His wonderful love I’ll shout with the millions on high.”

Read more about “He Hideth My Soul.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Words by John Newton, 1779
Music by James P. Carrell & David S. Clayton, 1831

 

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:8 – 10

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus
Romans 3:20 – 24

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:24 – 25

 

If we are honest, most of us tend to think pretty highly of ourselves.  We like to think we are the most interesting person we know.  We like to think we have amazing talents that are unmatched.  We like to think that we can do any we set our minds to doing. And most importantly, we like to think that we are really good people.  But are we really any of these things?

I mean, if I am really honest, there are definitely more interesting people out there than me.  There are also people with far more amazing talents than I have.  If I am honest, I would much rather sit back and relax rather than following through on some of my projects.  And finally, deep down, I realize I am not such a good person, but rather someone who likes to look out for my own interest. This theme is found presented in John Newton’s famous hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

Newton writes, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that save a wretch like me.” We all have heard these words sung and often sung them ourselves.  But when we stop to listen to the words we might ask, “Really, isn’t that a little harsh. A wretch like me?  I mean really, I am not that bad.”  But when we stop to look at the real magnitude of God’s grace, we realize that in comparison with that grace, we are, . . I am, a miserable wretch. It is then that we can say with Paul in Romans 7:24, “What a wretched man I am!”

You see, in our eyes we may look at some people as greater sinners than others.  But the reality is that in God’s eyes, there is no difference between one sin and another.  And one sinner is not greater than another.  Look at the words of Romans 3:23 which tell us, “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  You see it does not matter what sin you have done or how many you have done. The words of the hymn hold true, we are sinners and truly can say “a wretch like me.”

What is more, this grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:8) to see us through our trials. Newton writes, “Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.” When we realize the situation we really live in, then we can look back and see that it is God’s grace alone, not our doing, that has safely brought us to the point we now find ourselves.  What is more, this grace that has brought us to today, can see us through to the end.

It is truly an amazing grace that has been bestowed on us.  A grace that we desperately need. A grace that can be found through Christ alone.  There is a famous quote given by John Newton later in his life that sums it up.  “Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” When we understand this and begin to truly see ourselves as Newton did, we find new meaning in these familiar words, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”

 

 

Read more about “Amazing Grace.”

Brian Olson Devotional, Hymns, Worship

In The Sweet By And By

There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious songs of the blessed;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days.
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

Words by Sanford F. Bennett, 1868
Music by Joseph P. Webster

 

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
Revelation 21:1 – 7

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Philippians 3:20

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:2

Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.'” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world.
Hebrews 4:3

to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Ephesians 1:6

 

Stop and think about what your ideal vacation would be.  Maybe it would be a trip to some exotic location, perhaps you want to visit historic sites or then again you may just want to visit family and friends.  There are lots of things we can do on our vacations, but I think that deep down, what most of us really want to do is rest and relax, after all, it is extremely frustrating to get home from your vacation to find yourself more tired than when you left.

Resting from the business and chaos of life is a dream everyone has. Whether it is a good vacation or retirement, we look forward to rest. But for those of us who know Christ, there is a rest to come that is beyond what we will ever find in on a simple vacation of retirement in this life. In Revelation 14:13 we read, “…’Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord . . . so that they may rest from their labors . . .” This is the theme found in Bennett’s, “In The Sweet By And By.”

Bennett writes, “There’s a land that is fairer than day, And by faith we can see it afar.” He describes a beautiful vision of what we all hope for, a place of rest, a land that is more beautiful than anything we have seen.  It is a place that we will one day see, but for now, we can catch but glimpses of it through the faith we place in Christ.

But He reminds us that it is not simply some general place that lies out there waiting for us when he writes, “For the Father waits over the way To prepare us a dwelling place there.” It is a place that has been personally prepared for us.  Just as Jesus said in John 14:2, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

We look forward to a place that will give us a rest and peace we can never know in this life.  Bennet writes, “And our spirits shall sorrow no more, Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.” Many have seen sorrows in this life that we can not comprehend.  We all pray that we can live our life without sorrows, but it is something we will face in this life.  Sorrows will come our way, but the in the rest to come the sorrows shall cease.  Revelation 21:4 tells us, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.”

Yes, we all seek a rest from the weariness of this life. And by God grace, there is a rest that will come for those who “believe in the Lord Jesus”.  “(Acts 16:31)  When we have put our faith and trust in Christ, “we who have believed enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:3) We can know the rest that will come “in the sweet by and by.”

So we conclude with the final stanza as Bennett writes:

“To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days.”

 

 

Read more about “In The Sweet By And By.”