Christmas Music

Now that our Christmas tree is up and decorated, I play almost only Christmas music in the house throughout the rest of the month.  Of course, the radio and the stores began playing Christmas music a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving Day – all in the hopes of getting us into the Christmas shopping mood.  But, the first Christmas music I heard was in Nicaragua!

It was October 31^st when I arrived in Managua. After leaving the airport, we drove to one of the malls to get lunch at the food court. In the middle of the mall was a huge Christmas tree decorated like the nicest trees we’d see in our malls. Not only that, but our standard Christmas music playing!  The next day, we went to a supermarket in the small city of Leon. The supermarket had snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, little Christmas trees for sale (artificial evergreen!), a section called “stocking stuffers,” and again, American Christmas music playing.  That’s right, in Nicaragua I was listening to “White Christmas,” “Let It Snow,” and “Sleigh Ride”—all in English!   I wondered, did anyone understand the words or the meanings to the songs, after all, they don’t get snow in Nicaragua –i.e. no white Christmas or sleigh rides.  (By the way, they did also play “O Holy Night” and “Away in a Manger”, again mostly in English.)

Whatever we think about the Christmas songs that are being played or when, where, and why they are being played, I believe that it is only appropriate that the Christmas season is filled with music. After all, the very first Christmas was filled with what we might call “songs.” 

Mary sang, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”  (Luke 1:46 – NIV) Zechariah sang, “Praise be to the Lord, the God Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.” (Luke 1:68 – NIV) And, the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14 – NIV)

Truly, God has given us something to sing about—something that goes far beyond the snow that the season may bring or the family gatherings we may enjoy. The reason we sing  and fill Christmas with music is the fact that God has sent us a Savior! Jesus has come bringing us light, life, peace, joy, forgiveness…and we could go on and on.

This Christmas, let’s rejoice and sing, filling our homes and souls with lots of Christmas music. 

“Joy to the world the Lord is come!”

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris