A Christmas Devotional By Darlene ZschechSampl

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

The stores are madness (even though I secretly LOVE it), most of us are prepping, wrapping, trying to keep things hidden from the kids, cooking and putting pressure on ourselves that is almost too much!

But when you peel back the craziness, every party, every church service, every family gathering, there is a GREAT AND WONDERFUL underlying cornerstone of truth that pulls our hearts toward hope, and ushers our hearts toward the goal of our yearning for the ‘something more’ that is Jesus Christ. And this is worth celebrating in every detail. But just remember, this IS what we are celebrating. Keep your heart flowing with thanksgiving every day, intentionally, and joyfully in this Christmas season.

But let's pull this story even closer. The ultimate reason FOR Christ.

Throughout the Bible, we see the story of man trying to fix himself. It is the story of God making a way, man disobeying God and falling short, the struggle of humanity working harder and getting nowhere, and the law, making life impossible for man to live up to. And then after many years, God finally says ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I love you SO much that I am going to make a way for you, even when it costs Jesus, My SON, His very own life.

I read this wonderful story of how Charles Wesley wrote the “Hark” poem about a year after his conversion to be read in church on Christmas Day after being inspired by the Christmas bells ringing in London. The poem first appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1739 with the opening line of “Hark, how the welkin (heaven) rings.”

Then in 1753, George Whitefield, a colleague of Wesley’s, adapted the poem into the song we now know today. It was Whitefield who penned the phrase “newborn King.”

The song asks every nation to come and sing and proclaim the good news of Jesus, peace on earth, the HOPE of the world, the way for every sinner to be reconciled to God.

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled:

Joyful all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies,

With the angelic host proclaim,

Christ is born in Bethlehem:

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King.

Christ, by highest heaven adored,

Christ, the everlasting Lord,

Late in time behold him come,

Offspring of a virgin’s womb!

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,

Hail the incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with men to dwell,

Jesus, our Emmanuel:

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings,

Risen with healing in his wings;

Mild, he lays his glory by,

Born that man no more may die,

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth:

Hark! the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn King.

Even as an all-knowing, all-creating, all-loving God, He too had to bring resolve to a planet struggling for life, a humanity desperately needing life while willfully holding onto independence. But He did it, and we are here today because of a LOVE that caused heaven to stand still, a son to be born with the purpose of an early death, so that we would know the fullness of TRUE life.

God said enough is enough. A discontent with how things were. And so, He made a way where there was NO way apart from Jesus.

Today, I pray you will find your truthful sense of purpose as you say “yes” to Jesus. Not hype, not to church, but to our Saviour, the one who paid the price we could not pay. Glory to the Newborn King! I, for one, am EVER thankful.