Today's reading from the LEC Family Advent Devotional is Hebrews 4:9 -- There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.
Our key word today is rest. When I hear rest, I think of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. So I thought I would look into the background of this favorite carol. In 15th century Dickensian London, dark, somber songs were sung in Latin in churches. Songs of happiness and joy were not allowed to be sung in church during Christmas. To overcome this problem, people took to singing these joyful songs as they walked along the streets of London, and soon the night watchmen were singing "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" as they walked the streets of London. Even Charles Dickens included the song in his classic A Christmas Carol: "...at the first sound of 'God bless you merry, gentlemen, May nothing
you dismay!" Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action that
the singer fled in terror, leaving the keyhole to the fog and even more
congenial frost."
Each Christmas we greet friends and acquaintances with the word "merry" meaning happy. However, back in the 15th century, the word merry meant great and mighty (do your remember Robin Hood & his Merry men -- they weren't just happy they were mighty & great!). Also the word rest meant to keep or make. These 15th century meanings make the true meaning of this song, "God make you mighty, gentlemen," which is a message for back then and a message for today. We, as mighty men and women, can make a difference this Christmas by
living our faith. Amid the holly and the tinsel, we can testify that Christ was born to die and that, in Him, we might live
forever.
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
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
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
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
Today's Advent Photo of the Day
#rest #pictureadvent
Today's devotional writer challenges us to make the Sabbath or rest a priority during this season that tends to leach every moment of rest from us. As I've mentioned before, being a church music director, my Sabbath is NOT on Sundays. So I try to find one day each week to celebrate the Sabbath. That day for me is usually Thursday. I feel like it's my "first day of the week" because it's the day after our choir rehearsal. I've finished my preparations for Sunday's worship service. One of my priorities on Thursday is a Bible study that I attend. I have gotten into circumstances before where I had no opportunity to feed myself spiritually, so this has been my way to focus on God's word and be fed. This is also the second "season" that I have used a daily devotional to help focus myself and to bring a different perspective and mind-set during a busy season.
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