Before I get to the main discussion, I need to start with a disclaimer. This post is not meant to indict certain people or their motivations. I will not be mentioning any songs or artists in particular because I am not writing this to pick on Christian artists or raise up certain artists by putting others down. What I am hoping to do in this post is help Christians to critically consider what we offer to God in the way of worship. I think if we could honestly take a step back and look at our worship objectively, we might be able to recapture worship worthy of His glory. By worship in this post, I mean music. Yes, worship is far more than that. But for the sake of clarity, when I mention worship, I mean when we stand before God and sing to him. I will be addressing four topics for consideration: the music, the lyrics, the congregation and the resolution.
1) The Music--This post has come about from a video I saw on YouTube. I've had issues with worship music for years, but Jordan nailed it when he made this video. Pretty much what Jordan is pointing out in a funny way is the issue. Our worship music is the same old same old all the time. Same old isn't necessarily bad, but we seem to have found ourselves in a rut. One author, Brett McCracken, describes current worship music like this: "It’s 90% crappy, knock-off Keane or secondhand U2 (i.e. it is usually very predictable and unoriginal)." Yep. I know exactly what style of music I will hear at church every Sunday. Once again, there is nothing inherently wrong with this. But I can't help and ask myself why the church can't do better. We've got to have amazing musicians in the church that can do better than the same 4 chords over and over, right?
McCracken also notes this: "It’s more about creating an emotional response than eliciting a profound
spiritual reflection. The measure of a good worship leader is often how
many in the audience stand up or raise their hands out of their own
volition." I am a hand raiser. But I'm a weird hand raiser and maybe that's because it took me a long time to be able to raise my hands. I raise my hands when I want to say something to God, not because the music told me to. Seriously, just watch how people raise hands during the worship set. The hands go up when the music gets really fast or loud. The music is designed to elicit a certain response. Is there a lot of thought going on at that point? Maybe...but maybe not. I've heard multiple people in the Christian music industry state that music that sells is music that provides an experience to the audience. Lest we forget, Christian music is an industry at this point. That means it must make money. To make money it must sell and what makes money is what people buy because it makes them feel.
Now, I know some would just skewer me here: "How can you judge someone's music experience?" This question in and of itself frustrates me because it reveals a current way of thinking that gets to me: music is relative. That is, it doesn't matter much what it sounds like or says. Anything goes as long as I feel close to God. Music is outside any kind of critical thinking. I find it interesting to note modern Christians' own response to the emotional evangelism of the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening was a time in American history where people were converted by the hundreds and thousands. And how were they? By preachers yelling about hell and damnation, by being stirred up to faint in the aisles and collapse to the ground. We modern Christians look back at that and say, "Well, how many were real conversions? I mean, they just got all hyped up. How many actually stayed in the faith?" Do you see the irony here? We are skeptical about preaching that makes the gospel purely emotional. Yet we don't see any danger in music we are offering to God that might be eliciting only emotion.
2) The Lyrics--Of course, the lyrics reflect the music. Most of them are similar. And mostly they are romanticized. It's a sad state of affairs when a character on the secular and heinous show South Park points out, "All we have to do to make Christian songs is take regular old songs
and add Jesus stuff to them. See? All we have to do is cross out words
like 'baby' and 'darling' and replace them with Jesus." Ouch. As a Christian, that hurts. Is there nothing different between Christian worship music and music that worships the secular world? Can we create nothing that speaks a better word? This trend I fear is reflective of the "relationship not religion" popular way of thinking. We don't want songs that have any kind of theology or dogma in them. That won't draw me close to God emotionally and give me the experience of worship I want. A commenter (John Kelly) on a site I read said this: "Maybe we are writing more shallow, simple worship music because we are
more shallow, simple people... and were just writing from what we
know... David wrote long complicated and wordy laments because that was
who he was and that was the culture...Is it wrong that we may write
music from who we are? Or should we just pretend we're deeper than we
are?" Another ouch. Could it be our worship music reflects the shallow people that we are? John Kelly asks some provocative questions. If our music reflects our shallow relationships with God's truth, then we need to rethink our very lives. As a way of rethinking, I want to point out the reason Jesus said he came to earth: "For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to
testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me" (John 18:37). Nowhere does Jesus say in the Bible: "I came to make sure everyone felt cuddled and warm and fuzzy." Of course, this doesn't mean that Jesus doesn't love people or want to love us physically. He likens Jerusalem to a city he wants to hold under his wings like a mother hen protecting her chicks and the church to a beloved bride. But that doesn't change the fact that Jesus' number one concern was objective truth claims about who he was and who God is. Could it be this is where our music could differ from the world's? Could Christian music seek more than emotional response?
Another problem with lyrics: they can be at the least nonsensical, at the worst wrong. This is where music relativism rears its ugly head the most. Worship music, most think, cannot be judged.* The common thinking is that an artist spent his time pouring out his heart to God to write that, so you can't judge it. Wait a minute. I can critically scrutinize the sermon a pastor worked on for months, but I can't touch a song? Christian songs that purport to claim truth about God can and should be judged. I often tell my students to never turn off their brains. This includes music. Are the lyrics in the music true? I have heard many worship songs where the lyrics were just plain biblically wrong. One of them attempted to use a scripture, but changed some terms, completely changing the meaning to a biblical untruth. When we sing we must think.
3) The congregation--This is where it gets personal. So far I can pretty much blame musical artists. But what about me? I'd like to look at a passage of scripture, Isaiah 1:11-13. In this passage, God addresses the sacrifices of Israel. Sacrifices were designed to express relationship with God (three out of the five types of sacrifices have nothing to do with sin whatsoever). Israel had gone its own way, focused on its own desires rather than God. Yet the people still went to the temple to sacrifice. In this context, God says this: "'What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?' says the LORD. 'I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle; and I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to Me.'" The sacrifices were worthless because they were done out of meaningless tradition. God did not want meaningless worship. We must critically ask ourselves, "What does my worship sound like to God?" Am I uttering trite phrases over and over without a thought? Is music relative to me? That is, if I don't get a sweet, fluffy feeling, do I tell myself I haven't worshipped? Do I sing untruths, claiming my life is for God alone, when I have expressly excluded God from areas of my life?
4) The resolution--It is my contention that the banal music and lyrics of our worship music makes it extra hard for our worship to be real. It's so easy to come to church and mouth words on a screen and not think about them once. I do this all the time. Same old songs, same old music, same old lyrics. I get lulled into a timeless existence where the music just flows around me, but really without me. But let's face facts: this is our culture. The music isn't going to change anytime soon. So I can sit around and grouse about that or I can do something about it. Here is what I have done to try and make my worship meaningful to me and the Lord--1. Really hear/read the words. Don't just passively sing. Make sure you know what you are singing. If it is a biblical untruth, stop singing. I sometimes stop even if it just isn't personally true, if singing it would be lying to God. 2. Talk to God during the music. Make it a prayer. Take a moment to turn it in inward, to reflect on it. There's a reason Psalms, the Bible's songbook, has indications to pause (selah). I wish music would just stop sometimes so we could reflect on what we are singing instead of just plugging along. 3. React to God's truth, not the emotional push. You don't have to raise your hands with everyone else if it's a meaningless act for you. Maybe you need to just sit down, even though every worship leader commands you to stand. Maybe you need to kneel. Maybe you just need to stand there and think about what you are singing.
When it all comes down to it, I just want to implore my fellow brothers and sisters to worship God in spirit and truth. As we come to God in worship, let's keep our brains active. We can hope that worship music will someday step outside the common to reflect an uncommon God, but in the meantime, we'll make sure we enter worship eyes, ears and brain wide open.
*A word on the term judge--The common response in Christian circles to any use of the term judge is "Who are you to judge? Jesus said judge not lest you be judged." Those that levy this response seem to forget that all throughout the New Testament, Christians are called to make judgments, to determine if something lines up with the truth or is false. There are two senses of the word "judge" even in English. Judge can mean to condemn or judge can mean to consider critically. I am not saying here that we need to go into churches and start railing about the music and having hissy fits. I am saying that we need to be willing to critically consider the music we produce.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Christmas Truth: "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" Part 3
This is the last part of three posts I've published that are meditations on the theological song "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." If you want to read the previous two parts, you can find them here and here. Let me sum up what the first two stanzas of the song have taught us: Jesus is the almighty King worshipped by angelic servants who brings peace and mercy as he paves the way for the
reconciliation of God and man. He has come for everyone on the
earth as the Messiah, a fulfillment of prophecy. Even more amazing, he is God, deity incarnated in a virgin's woman, another fulfillment of prophecy. He has come voluntarily to dwell with us, to be Emmanuel. And now, the last stanza.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace, Hail the Son of Righteousness
Piggybacking on the previous stanza, this stanza again emphasizes that Jesus is from heaven. He comes to earth from heaven because he is God. He is the Prince of Peace, an allusion to another fulfilled prophecy found in Isaiah 9:6. The Prince of Peace in Isaiah is also called "Mighty God." No doubt about it, the Prince of Peace is God. Thus, he can truly be deemed righteous. He is the son of righteousness, that is, all that is righteous proceeds from him and is in him. He is truth and morality and holiness.
Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings
Now we get to the clincher--the why this king, Messiah, Christ Jesus has come. The first stanza hinted that he would reconcile man and God, but how? This stanza says that he will bring light and life. That he is risen is a hint to his death. This Messiah will die and yet rise again and come with healing for man in his wings. As for the wings, I can't help but think of Jesus crying out as he came into Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings." Indeed, he would rise showing that healing could only come to those who gather themselves under his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die
This healing that will come is not for temporary sickness, but for the pervasive sickness that leads all men to death: sin. In humility, the Messiah left heaven for earth (already described in the second stanza) so that man would no longer die. If he will no longer die, then this must mean the Messiah will solve man's sin problem.
Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth
Here then is the crux: Through Christ's own death and resurrection, man can himself die and be raised to life. Man can receive a second birth into life devoid of sin and live eternally. I am reminded here of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus: "In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.' 'How can a man be born when he is old?' Nicodemus asked. 'Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!' Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.'" Through rebirth through Christ, man lives again one with the Spirit. His sin problem and thus death is conquered. This, then, is the truth of Christmas. We celebrate the incarnation because it leads to our freedom from sin and death. The true joy of Christmas rests in our own salvation through the sacrifice of the incarnate God.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace, Hail the Son of Righteousness
Piggybacking on the previous stanza, this stanza again emphasizes that Jesus is from heaven. He comes to earth from heaven because he is God. He is the Prince of Peace, an allusion to another fulfilled prophecy found in Isaiah 9:6. The Prince of Peace in Isaiah is also called "Mighty God." No doubt about it, the Prince of Peace is God. Thus, he can truly be deemed righteous. He is the son of righteousness, that is, all that is righteous proceeds from him and is in him. He is truth and morality and holiness.
Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings
Now we get to the clincher--the why this king, Messiah, Christ Jesus has come. The first stanza hinted that he would reconcile man and God, but how? This stanza says that he will bring light and life. That he is risen is a hint to his death. This Messiah will die and yet rise again and come with healing for man in his wings. As for the wings, I can't help but think of Jesus crying out as he came into Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings." Indeed, he would rise showing that healing could only come to those who gather themselves under his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die
This healing that will come is not for temporary sickness, but for the pervasive sickness that leads all men to death: sin. In humility, the Messiah left heaven for earth (already described in the second stanza) so that man would no longer die. If he will no longer die, then this must mean the Messiah will solve man's sin problem.
Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth
Here then is the crux: Through Christ's own death and resurrection, man can himself die and be raised to life. Man can receive a second birth into life devoid of sin and live eternally. I am reminded here of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus: "In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.' 'How can a man be born when he is old?' Nicodemus asked. 'Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!' Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.'" Through rebirth through Christ, man lives again one with the Spirit. His sin problem and thus death is conquered. This, then, is the truth of Christmas. We celebrate the incarnation because it leads to our freedom from sin and death. The true joy of Christmas rests in our own salvation through the sacrifice of the incarnate God.
John 3:16
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Christmas Truth: "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" Part 2
This is the second part of a meditation on the stanzas of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." If you want to read the first part, you can do that here. I am looking particularly at the theology found in the song. I consider it to be the most theological of all the Christmas songs I know. We saw last time that the first stanza makes the following declarations about Jesus: He is the almighty King worshipped by angelic servants. He is the one
who will bring peace and mercy as he paves the way for the
reconciliation of God and man. He has come for everyone on the earth. He is the Messiah and his birth fulfills prophecy. Let's now see what the second stanza proclaims about the Messiah.
Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord
This refers back to stanza one where Jesus is also worshipped by angels. But why is he worshipped? The second half of the line explains--He's the everlasting Lord. The king and Messiah of the first stanza is now declared to be something even greater--the Lord himself. He's not just a king that lasts for a day; he's the everlasting Lord. Thus, he is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. He is God himself.
Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin's womb
Late in time does not mean that Jesus was late or should have shown up earlier. The phrase means here that a long time elapsed from his promised coming to the time he arrived. He was promised as early as Genesis 3. The earth has waited in anticipation for a long time. When he arrives, this Lord adored by angels is conceived in the womb of a virgin. This is both a fulfillment of prophecy and a hint the reason for why he was to come. He had to be born a man to complete the mission ahead of him. (In Genesis 3:15, we see a promise that an offspring will come of woman that will crush the serpent, so this line also bridges the gap between Genesis and the gospels, that the time has elapsed to the promise's fulfillment when the offspring is formed in a woman's womb).
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity
This line gives me chills. Jesus' flesh is a covering for the Trinity (yes, this song declares the Trinity!). We are staring right at the Trinity when we see Jesus for he exists one with his father and the Spirit at all times. As he is the God, the Trinity, we are called to hail him just like the angels, to hail God incarnated in flesh.
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel
Jesus is not forced to come. He has not been pushed or manipulated or tricked. He is pleased to dwell with man. He has a reason to come and he loves man enough to come, to forsake the worship of angels above and live as a human being. He will know our temptations and trials and pains. He will walk among us so that he can love us and show us the better way. He will draw us close with physical arms. He will be with us, the meaning of Emmanuel. In fact, through the gospel he teaches us he will never leave us or forsake us.
Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord
This refers back to stanza one where Jesus is also worshipped by angels. But why is he worshipped? The second half of the line explains--He's the everlasting Lord. The king and Messiah of the first stanza is now declared to be something even greater--the Lord himself. He's not just a king that lasts for a day; he's the everlasting Lord. Thus, he is the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. He is God himself.
Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin's womb
Late in time does not mean that Jesus was late or should have shown up earlier. The phrase means here that a long time elapsed from his promised coming to the time he arrived. He was promised as early as Genesis 3. The earth has waited in anticipation for a long time. When he arrives, this Lord adored by angels is conceived in the womb of a virgin. This is both a fulfillment of prophecy and a hint the reason for why he was to come. He had to be born a man to complete the mission ahead of him. (In Genesis 3:15, we see a promise that an offspring will come of woman that will crush the serpent, so this line also bridges the gap between Genesis and the gospels, that the time has elapsed to the promise's fulfillment when the offspring is formed in a woman's womb).
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity
This line gives me chills. Jesus' flesh is a covering for the Trinity (yes, this song declares the Trinity!). We are staring right at the Trinity when we see Jesus for he exists one with his father and the Spirit at all times. As he is the God, the Trinity, we are called to hail him just like the angels, to hail God incarnated in flesh.
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel
Jesus is not forced to come. He has not been pushed or manipulated or tricked. He is pleased to dwell with man. He has a reason to come and he loves man enough to come, to forsake the worship of angels above and live as a human being. He will know our temptations and trials and pains. He will walk among us so that he can love us and show us the better way. He will draw us close with physical arms. He will be with us, the meaning of Emmanuel. In fact, through the gospel he teaches us he will never leave us or forsake us.
John 1:14
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Christmas Truth: "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
A few years ago, my husband and I went to a Christmas concert at a local symphony center. For the last part of the performance, the symphony and its choir asked the audience to stand and sing, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" along with them. I've always liked this particular Christmas song because it is sung at the end of my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life. However, I have to admit that as is often the case, I had sung this song many times, but not paid close attention to its words. It was about Jesus' birth and angels heralding it. Got it. But that night, as I followed the words to the song, I found myself floored. I was struck by the fact that "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" is the most theological Christmas song I've ever heard, and here were hundreds of people singing it, singing truth out to God, even if they didn't personally believe it.
For this Christmas I'd like to offer three meditations on my now favorite Christmas song, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." I'm going to approach it one stanza per post because I don't want to rush it. It's just too beautiful.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
In this song, Jesus' entrance into the world is announced with gusto. He doesn't come silently, just a babe--no, he comes with angelic servants proclaiming that he is a king. The angels reveal to the shepherds the truth that the king has arrived. This is a baby born with powerful authority.
"Peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."
What has this mighty king come to do? To fight? To throw off Rome? No, to bring peace, not a sword. He comes with mercy. His plan is far grander than physical battle, more far reaching than the shepherds could dream. The king is not coming to concern himself merely with the restoration of Jewish power. He is coming to bring God to sinners. Sinners? Yes, to mankind whose problem is not Rome, but its darkest heart of sin. This king will wipe clean the darkness of man's heart and fill it with the light of God.
Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies
Even more far reaching! The king has not come only to Israel, but to all nations, to all men. Every person on earth is to have the joy of reconciliation available to his heart. Those who are reconciled worship along with angelic servants the one that has drawn them near by banishing their darkness.
With the angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Oh the depth of this one line! Those who are reconciled, what do they proclaim? "Christ is born in Bethlehem." Such a simple line, but so deeply profound. The king is Christ, that is, Messiah. This is confirmed because he is born in Bethlehem, a fulfillment of prophecy. This then, is not just any king--he is the foretold king from the Old Testament, the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of Man. He has come, the one the Jews have waited for, the one who will change all history by his arrival. You cannot deny his truth, because fulfilled prophecy testifies to his identity.
Wow. The theology in this song awes me. In this one stanza we have these declarations about Jesus: He is the almighty King worshipped by angelic servants. He is the one who will bring peace and mercy as he paves the way for the reconciliation of God and man. He has come for everyone on the earth. He is the Messiah and his birth fulfills prophecy.
For this Christmas I'd like to offer three meditations on my now favorite Christmas song, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." I'm going to approach it one stanza per post because I don't want to rush it. It's just too beautiful.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
In this song, Jesus' entrance into the world is announced with gusto. He doesn't come silently, just a babe--no, he comes with angelic servants proclaiming that he is a king. The angels reveal to the shepherds the truth that the king has arrived. This is a baby born with powerful authority.
"Peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."
What has this mighty king come to do? To fight? To throw off Rome? No, to bring peace, not a sword. He comes with mercy. His plan is far grander than physical battle, more far reaching than the shepherds could dream. The king is not coming to concern himself merely with the restoration of Jewish power. He is coming to bring God to sinners. Sinners? Yes, to mankind whose problem is not Rome, but its darkest heart of sin. This king will wipe clean the darkness of man's heart and fill it with the light of God.
Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies
Even more far reaching! The king has not come only to Israel, but to all nations, to all men. Every person on earth is to have the joy of reconciliation available to his heart. Those who are reconciled worship along with angelic servants the one that has drawn them near by banishing their darkness.
With the angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Oh the depth of this one line! Those who are reconciled, what do they proclaim? "Christ is born in Bethlehem." Such a simple line, but so deeply profound. The king is Christ, that is, Messiah. This is confirmed because he is born in Bethlehem, a fulfillment of prophecy. This then, is not just any king--he is the foretold king from the Old Testament, the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Son of Man. He has come, the one the Jews have waited for, the one who will change all history by his arrival. You cannot deny his truth, because fulfilled prophecy testifies to his identity.
Wow. The theology in this song awes me. In this one stanza we have these declarations about Jesus: He is the almighty King worshipped by angelic servants. He is the one who will bring peace and mercy as he paves the way for the reconciliation of God and man. He has come for everyone on the earth. He is the Messiah and his birth fulfills prophecy.
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying,
'Glory to God in the highest,
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.'"
Luke 2:13-15
Monday, November 26, 2012
Christmas: Celebrating Advent
Ever since I was a little girl, Christmastime has been tied to Advent. Advent means "coming" and it involves traditions that point to the night we celebrate God's coming in flesh to earth. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. On each Sunday, a new candle is lit. Each candle has a special meaning. Then on Christmas Eve, a large white candle is lit called the "Christ Candle." For me as a child (and an adult), Advent does two things. First, it increases the anticipation of Christmas. As a child, each candle lit meant Christmas was drawing closer and I grew more and more excited. Second, it focuses me on what Christmas is about: Jesus Christ. As a child, yes, I did get excited about presents and snow men and reindeer. But Advent brought me back to what was truly important: the birth of my Savior. Through Advent, I learned what Christmas was all about, who Jesus was and why he came. As an adult, I still cherish Advent. I think now even more so, I long for my Savior, for the celebration of his glorious coming.
I'd like to explain how you can celebrate Advent, too. The first thing you'll need are the candles. There are three purple taper candles, one pink taper candle and one large white candle, and, of course, holders. (Christian bookstores like Mardel will sell boxes with the purple and pink candles in them). Each candle has a meaning I'll list below. Some people put the advent candles within a wreath. I did that for our first couple years of marriage. You can definitely set them out without a wreath. As you see below, the tapers surround the white candle in this set up:
I put the nativity behind the candles to emphasize the meaning of Advent. One year I put the candles in the middle of our dining table along with a couple small nativities because I was hosting my family. We celebrated Advent together that night:
The last couple years, since I have a small child whose hands are on everything, I have put the Advent candles on our mantel. Our stocking holders are the nativity and so I put the white candle behind the stocking holder with the baby Jesus since it represents the Christ child.
Once you have your candles set up how you like, you gather your family and light them each Sunday. On the first Sunday, you'll light just one purple candle. The next Sunday, two purple candles. The following Sunday, two purple candles and the pink candle. The last Sunday, two purple candles, the pink candle, and the last purple candle. On Christmas Eve, you light all four tapers and the large white candle. For us, we have a verse we recite and song we sing for each new candle that is lit. Below I have listed the verses and songs.
First Purple Candle: Hope
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." Isaiah 60:2-3
I'd like to explain how you can celebrate Advent, too. The first thing you'll need are the candles. There are three purple taper candles, one pink taper candle and one large white candle, and, of course, holders. (Christian bookstores like Mardel will sell boxes with the purple and pink candles in them). Each candle has a meaning I'll list below. Some people put the advent candles within a wreath. I did that for our first couple years of marriage. You can definitely set them out without a wreath. As you see below, the tapers surround the white candle in this set up:
I put the nativity behind the candles to emphasize the meaning of Advent. One year I put the candles in the middle of our dining table along with a couple small nativities because I was hosting my family. We celebrated Advent together that night:
The last couple years, since I have a small child whose hands are on everything, I have put the Advent candles on our mantel. Our stocking holders are the nativity and so I put the white candle behind the stocking holder with the baby Jesus since it represents the Christ child.
Once you have your candles set up how you like, you gather your family and light them each Sunday. On the first Sunday, you'll light just one purple candle. The next Sunday, two purple candles. The following Sunday, two purple candles and the pink candle. The last Sunday, two purple candles, the pink candle, and the last purple candle. On Christmas Eve, you light all four tapers and the large white candle. For us, we have a verse we recite and song we sing for each new candle that is lit. Below I have listed the verses and songs.
First Purple Candle: Hope
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." Isaiah 60:2-3
Song: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
Second Purple Candle: Love
"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
Song: "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus""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
Pink Candle: Joy
"The people walking in darkness have seen a great
light; on
those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as
people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder...For to us a child
is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:2-3, 6
Song: "Joy to the World"
Last Purple Candle: Peace
"Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke 1:78-79
"Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke 1:78-79
Song: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
White Candle: Christ
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’” Luke 2:25-32
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’” Luke 2:25-32
Song: "What Child Is This?"
I hope that you have found this enlightening and helpful and that you, too, will be able to celebrate the tradition of Advent in your own home!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation
Every Thanksgiving, I read and post George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation. Most people don't realize that the point of Thanksgiving was originally to thank God for the blessings He had bestowed on us. Days of thanksgiving were declared all throughout our country's early history and did not become associated with the pilgrims and indians until later. George Washington actually proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving. Washington declared the point of that thanksgiving day to be a time for people to acknowledge "with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God." When I celebrate Thanksgiving, I don't mind the imagery of the pilgrims and indians, but I remember that this day is set aside, not to the glory of myself, but to the glory of my God. It is a day to thank God for the blessings He has poured into my life by enjoying family and food, a reminder that I am thankfully well fed. I hope you'll enjoy Washington's proclamation as much as I do and it will help you focus on the true purpose of Thanksgiving.
"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go: Washington"
"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go: Washington"
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Beware Exaggerated Language
So in my English classes, I have harped on something I call "exaggerated language." Exaggerated language is using words like "always," "never," "everyone," "no one" and so on. When I grade papers that have these terms in them, I write beside them "prove it." In other words, prove that no one ever likes to drink coffee. Prove that everyone knows God is Lord. Statements with exaggerated language are usually false.
Through the election season, I have been hearing an exaggerated statement (actually two) that I am sick of. It's this: Conservatives don't care about the poor. I want to say, "Prove it." This myth that conservatives don't care about the poor (usually foisted on conservatives when they mention any kind of moral legislation because being concerned about morals automatically means you don't care about the poor) is plain wrong. Let me give an example.
I'm going to pull from my pool of conservative friends. Let's see. At least five couples I personally know have adopted needy children, not to mention half my church. All of them have gone on mission trips where they did such things as build homes, feed orphans, bring clothes and survival items to those without them. My husband and I support two sponsor children, not to mention the large percentage of our budget that goes to charities that help the poor. Our small group is spending its next meeting shopping and filling baskets of food for the needy. My church partners with a charity working in downtown Dallas to help the homeless. I could go on. The point is, the conservatives I know help the poor. Why? Because God cares about the poor, so they do, too. This idea that conservatives don't care about the poor is an outright lie.
So why are conservatives then charged with a lack of compassion for the poor? What's really at root is not a lack or overabundance of compassion on either side. What we have are different ideas of how to help the poor through the government. Conservatives want to equip the poor with the ability to feed themselves and rise out of their poverty. They want to teach a man to fish so he can fish for life. They don't want to enable the ability to sit around and do nothing while the government fishes for me. Others disagree. They want to meet immediate needs, hand out everything they can so no one suffers in this country. But understand, both sides care about the poor. They have different ways of thinking how the government should handle the poor, but that does not mean either side isn't getting its hands dirty helping the poor.
Through the election season, I have been hearing an exaggerated statement (actually two) that I am sick of. It's this: Conservatives don't care about the poor. I want to say, "Prove it." This myth that conservatives don't care about the poor (usually foisted on conservatives when they mention any kind of moral legislation because being concerned about morals automatically means you don't care about the poor) is plain wrong. Let me give an example.
I'm going to pull from my pool of conservative friends. Let's see. At least five couples I personally know have adopted needy children, not to mention half my church. All of them have gone on mission trips where they did such things as build homes, feed orphans, bring clothes and survival items to those without them. My husband and I support two sponsor children, not to mention the large percentage of our budget that goes to charities that help the poor. Our small group is spending its next meeting shopping and filling baskets of food for the needy. My church partners with a charity working in downtown Dallas to help the homeless. I could go on. The point is, the conservatives I know help the poor. Why? Because God cares about the poor, so they do, too. This idea that conservatives don't care about the poor is an outright lie.
So why are conservatives then charged with a lack of compassion for the poor? What's really at root is not a lack or overabundance of compassion on either side. What we have are different ideas of how to help the poor through the government. Conservatives want to equip the poor with the ability to feed themselves and rise out of their poverty. They want to teach a man to fish so he can fish for life. They don't want to enable the ability to sit around and do nothing while the government fishes for me. Others disagree. They want to meet immediate needs, hand out everything they can so no one suffers in this country. But understand, both sides care about the poor. They have different ways of thinking how the government should handle the poor, but that does not mean either side isn't getting its hands dirty helping the poor.
(Here's the freebie, the second exaggerated phrase I've heard during the election: Conservatives hate women. The catch phrase is "war on women." Some say they demonize women. This is so laughable, I don't want to address it with a whole post, a paragraph will suffice. There are thousands upon thousands of conservative women, including myself. Let me let you in on a secret: we don't hate ourselves. Shocker! This idea of a "war on women" pretty much surrounds one issue: abortion. As Wikipedia defines it, "a political catchphrase used in United
States politics to describe Republican Party initiatives in federal
and state legislatures that are seen as restricting women's rights,
especially with regard to reproductive rights." It's any kind of legislation that is perceived to limit women's "rights." Do you know we have tons of legislation in this country that limits rights? We can't murder. We can't steal. We can't damage someone else's property and so on. Conservatives do not view it as a right to kill a child. That is murder. It's not a war on women. It's a hate of murder. Others can argue reasons it is not murder, fine. But don't pretend that because conservatives hold the belief that killing a child in the womb is murder that they hate women. That'd be like saying because someone is okay with abortion, they hate children).
(This article will probably get me flamed. So hear me. I know there are conservatives who have said bonehead things and are the exception to the rule. I hear what they say and I think, "That was a stupid thing to say." There are people on the other side who have said bonehead things, too. You can't generalize a group of people based on some bonehead sayings).
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